Soothe the Demoness Soul
by Phoray
Summary: Possible lemon AR Kagome is the hanyou and Inu Yasha is completely human...or is he? Onigumo is not here but Naraku is! Everything is connected, they will learn, and destiny is meant to happen, good or ill
1. Chappie 1

Fanfic 

Part One

* * *

_*Hanyou-> half-demon._ _ *Miko-> Priestess, a protector of village she resides in._ _ *Youkai-> Full-demon of any kind_

Eyes darting around the clearing, the hanyou assured herself there was no one in sight. Her ears twitched above her head. She gave a few test sniffs making sure there wasn't anything dangerous within smelling distance. The wind shifted to bring her the smell of the nearby village. Other than a few rabbits, which she'd dine on later, there was nothing suspicious. Dropping down from her branch, she left the shadow of the trees. Sunlight hit her harshly, and she stopped to become accustomed to it.

Her hair, reaching almost to her feet, was a rich dark crème. An asset when compared against the many forests of which she came from. Her features were sharp, yet softened by human blood. Her eyes, squinted from the sun, were a light, almost golden, green. Her clothes were practical. Nothing loose or hanging to get caught by a branch when leaping to the next one. Right now, for she changed with the landscape, she wore soft, brown, leather boots with swaths of dark green cloth wrapped around them. Moss colored pants, poofing out slightly, were tucked into them. Her shirt was form fitting, definitely not reflecting the times but a smarter decision than the usual wide kimono sleeves. A bow was slung across her back and a quiver of arrows also.

Smiling into the warm sun, she went forward to the stream, bending and scooping up a handful of water. Sighing, she sat back on her haunches, relaxing. Certainly a rare thing for her. _ Now what would make this a perfect day? A long soak in the Hot Springs, of course!!_ Even though she was part cat demon she had no fear of the water. She did have the insane urge to be clean all the time, though. She eagerly stood up with a grin and headed in the direction of the nearest one, about a mile away from the village she watched over. A crash, in the vicinity of the road to her right, caused her to go into a crouch from which she scented the air. She nearly coughed from the stench of a youkai.

"Damn! How did it get so close with out me smelling it?" Thinking quickly, she ascertained the reason. Must have just woken up from the long winter.

"Late sleeper, huh?" She heard another crash and saw a tree fall. "And a grumpy one, at that." She sprinted and leaped to a branch, gouging the bark as she grabbed a handhold. 'So much for that long soak.' Making her way quickly and quietly, she was almost there when a sound in the distance made her heart miss a beat. A scream, a mix of anger and pain, and most definitely human. Her speed increased.

***************************************************************************************

The wanderer continued on his long journey through the forest. That morning he had decided that today was the day to leave the warm comfy lodging of his cave. After packing, he had only left the scraps of a fire. He carried and left with everything he owned. He had traveled for only a short hour before he heard noises behind him. He assumed it was a messenger but assuming had always got him into trouble. His memories brought a slight smile to his face. The was that one time… 

His reminisces were soon cut short by bone-rattling roar behind him. His violet eyes went wide and he dropped down and rolled to the side, his pack flying into the woods. Just in time to miss the claws aimed to slice him in half. Too late, he realized. That comfy cave he had made his lodging in had also been this ones cave._ 'Damn! He must of followed my scent!'_

The claws of what appeared to be a bear youkai, continued on past where he was a moment before, and sunk into the tree behind him. It's red eyes blinked in stupid confusion. The wanderer grinned. This would be easier than he thought. A thought too soon for the bear demon let out a roar and pulled out his claws, bringing the tree down. As the tree bore down on him he had no choice but to dodge roll towards the road.

Not fast enough, for the demons claws caught up with him, slashing his back and sending him towards a tree. Slamming into it, he let out nothing but a pained grunt, sliding towards the ground. He pulled himself up quickly, and yelled out in pained rage. He slid his sword, Tetsuaiga, out and lunged towards the demon. He managed to slice through a paw, before he was knocked to the head, and flung against another tree. However, he did not rise from this one.

**************************************************************************************

When she reached them, she took stock of the scene quickly. The victim, a human male lay across the road, unconscious at the base of a tree. The demon, of the bear variety, was walking towards the victim, clutching its bleeding paw. She grinned. Pulling her bow taut, she called out.

"Awwww…. Your tasty treat not agreeing with you, huh?" It swung towards her, giving her the shot she needed. ^Twang^ the arrow wobbled after impact. The bear demons eyes crossed, trying to see the object of its pain. It was it's last living action, however. It's next action, quite normal for a creature in it's condition, (dead), was to fall face forward, into the ground causing the arrow only to jam deeper into its skull and what little brains he had were most definitely scrambled.

She leaped down. Walking towards the now very dead demon, shaking her head in mock sympathy, she said, "Tut, tut, tut. That's what you get for trying to eat humans. I'll never understand you creatures." A groan brought her to the victim's side. He tried to move and she laid her hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Don't move." She said softly. "That wouldn't help those gashes at all." Taking the swaths of cloth from her boots, she quickly wrapped them around his wounds. He gasped in pain as she tightened the knot.

"There now, no harm done. You'll be better in next to no time." She laughed lightly. She knew that he had barely escaped with his life.

"Turn me over." He growled. She smiled. Yes, this one would be just fine. She assisted him and leaned back, giving him his space. His hair fell away from his features as he leaned against the tree. He grimaced, eyes closed, so she had time to examine his features. Very fine bone structure for a human. Long black hair, very thick. A length of it framed his face in on both sides. The girls probably went wild for all that hair, even though the face and body beneath it was nothing to scoff at. His eyes opened revealing dark, violet eyes and she stepped back, almost sadly. This would be the unpleasant part. Memories of past occasions flashed before her eyes. _ 'Get away from me…'_

She shut down her thoughts and turned away. She retrieved her arrow from the corpse, and glanced back. The man's eyes followed her actions and she wondered what his pain-hazed eyes were telling him. He had a strange expression on his face. She called out to him.

"The villagers will soon be here to take care of you. I'm sure that by now, they've gathered enough courage to come and see about all the commotion." She readied herself to jump.

"Wait…" He called out softly. She tensed. "What's your name?"

She turned her head slightly. "It's… Kagome. I'm sure the villagers will tell you all about me and my evil ways once they get here."

She jumped; reaching the branch she had left just a little time before. As she sped away, though, she still heard his reply. 

"I'm Inu Yasha…" he said before he gave up consciousness. 

_*A few days later*_

He fingered the swath of green fabric. The white cloth, wrapped tightly around his middle, had replaced this… _ 'Get those filthy things off of him. She probably poisoned them.' Pains as the wrappings were pulled off of him roughly. 'Gently, you don't want to injure him further do you?' A kind old voice said. 'Yes, Kaeda-sama.' The unwrapping continued with far less pain. Gasps were heard as the last of it was taken away. 'Ohhhh… she did you up good didn't she, boy?' A rough voice said. The old voice returned, saying something. Results being that the room emptied. An old face appeared before him, and fingers were pressed against his forehead. "You're lucky. I just wish…' Sigh. 'That you would understand this when you woke up.'_

He had very vague memories of what had happened to him. But he knew one thing. He clenched the cloth. She definitely was not any of the things that they said of her. He looked out the window of the hut, towards the forest.

"If ye be thinking you can go after her, wanderer, you'll be sorely disappointed. No ones been able to find her. Not for lack of all those cowards trying. Pah, they'd run as soon as they found her. And if they did it would not be because of any skill they possessed." 

"What do you want?" He growled out, as the old miko continued into the room.

"I came to change ye bandages. All you're moving about has made you bleed through." He allowed her to dress his wounds in silence. As she walked out she paused.

"I'd take it as a kindness if you'd leave her alone. She's been through a lot and ye would be good not to pester her with any assumed indignities."

"I'd never said I would go after her, you old hag. Mind your own business. I'll be leaving today." She made as if to refuse. "Nothing you say will change my mind."

"Very well."

He removed his clothing from his returned pack and proceeded to dress, taking into account his wounds. He shoved the green fabric into his pack. His mind was jumbled with thoughts. He tightened his belt around him with a grimace, but eyes set with determination. He'd continue on as though nothing had happened. He was behind his nonexistent schedule. Grabbing the sheathed Tetsuaiga, and tucking it into his belt, he left the hut.

**************************************************************************************

People whispered around him, pointing, and he lightly rested his hand on the handle of Tetsuaiga. This only increased their whisperings. He glared ahead, ignoring them as best he could.

"Feh." _ 'Fools,'_ Inu Yasha thought.

He glanced at a group of men hovering in a group around the entrance of the village. One man saw him and called out. "Hey, why don't you join us? We are readying ourselves for a battle with the hanyou. It shouldn't be too hard, especially with man like you. You killed that bear youkai real good." Inu Yasha eyes bore into the man. The villager glanced away. "Never mind…" He mumbled. 

As Inu Yasha walked further away, his sharp ears caught the phrases, 'call for a miko' and 'hire a youkai exterminator'. His blood heated up with the violence he would like to cause them for their ignorance. Reaching the fields of the village, he gave up to his conscience and stopped to speak to a female villager tending them.

"Hey lady!" She glanced up from her work. "Come here." She came closer, but not close enough for a private conversation. He growled. "I only want to ask a question. Do you know of anywhere I may find the hanyou?" Standing up, the lady wiped her brow of sweat, looking him up and down in suspicion.

"Aye," she said slowly, "Other than the forest, there are rumors that you may find her at the hot springs. It's down the path, a mile or so. There is a sign. It shouldn't be too hard to find.""Thanks." He headed towards that direction, wondering what he was getting himself into.

**************************************************************************************

Kagome sighed as she sank into the hot springs, letting her aches slip away. Letting her mind drift, emotional aches came to the fore and she let them be released in the only way she could. Not one to cry, however, her claws dug into her arm. The pain helped in a way tears never would.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Kagome tensed, slipping out of the water towards her clothes. Her hanyou hearing heard his grumbling. "This is ridiculous. I can't believe I came here to someone who probably doesn't even need any help anyway." He sighed in frustration. 

She looked him over. A gray kimono, shortened to mid thigh, had replaced the former shreds of cloth. A sword was attached to a leather belt, strapped to his waist.

He cut a fine figure as she watched him curiously from the safety of the shadows. 

"Kagome!!" He yelled. "If you're even here, which I doubt, I just wanted you to know…" 

"What?"

He spun around in defense. Now that he could clearly see her, free of the pain haze, he almost gasped at her beauty. Her skin was damp and rosy from the hot springs. Her ears twitched and he had the insane urge to touch them. _ 'Beauty, Inu Yasha? You've gone daft or something. Especially about the ears. Tell her what you came to say and get it over with.'_

Kagome observed the emotions that passed across his face. Surprise, what seemed like… wonder? And anger. She tensed at this last one and started to move back into the shadow of the woods. Anxiety crossed his face and she paused on the verge of flight. She wondered at her actions. She had never appeared before anyone else when they came in search of her. _ 'Probably because they came in search of a fight.' _ She glanced away at that thought. Inu Yasha spoke.

"I came to tell you something." Kagome looked startled, as if she hadn't remember that he was still there. Inu Yasha seemed confused as to what he was about to say next. He just ended up staring at her. She stepped closer to him and he could almost feel the words. 

"Please, continue." She breathed. Kagome felt strange. This was the closest she'd ever been in a long time to a human male that wasn't injured._ 'Such a long time…'_

The smells that assaulted her confused her to no end. Usually, all she smelt was blood. Though there was that, too. _ 'From the battle. He seemed to recover alright, at least enough to come searching for her.'_ He blinked and inhaled. The smell of the forest radiated from her. "Uhh…" He looked away to get his bearings. Those golden green eyes confused him. He suddenly remembered what he had come to say. "The villagers… they plan to— 

An arrow whizzed past his ear and into Kagome's shoulder, knocking her back a step. Her surprised eyes reflected shock at the attack and… betrayal?

She hissed in pain. "You bastard! You tricked me!" She seemed to want to say more but another arrow whizzed by entering the tree beside her. Voices shouted in the distance. She glared once more at him before she seemed to melt into the forest.

**************************************************************************************

"I'm glad you two could make it. I've needed your services for some time but I felt that, without enough evidence, that you wouldn't understand the seriousness of this situation. We've been threatened by a certain female hanyou. She attacks any who happens to pass within her notice. Since she resides in the forest, or somewhere thereabouts, that usually extends to most of the people traveling on that road. Until recently, nothing could be done to catch or even figure out if she was even in the forest." He looked at the two capable women before him.

"We've managed to injure her, causing a trail of blood and gouge marks on the trees. I feel that we may have her on the run. You," he pointed at the exterminator, "are to find and kill her. You," he said a little bit more respectively, "are to banish her soul to hell where it belongs." He spread out his arms as if to say it was as simple as that.

The demon exterminator, Sango, raised an eyebrow up at the miko beside her.

"Why has your miko not taken care of this herself?" Sango asked.

The chief looked at the ceiling, allowing them to think he was uncomfortable about the subject.

"Unfortunately, in her old age, she has weakened so much that she has not the slightest will to even stop the attacks." His eyes then found sudden interest with his feet.

Kikyo nodded once. "You can leave your worries with us."

** 

The pair headed out to the hot springs. Sango found the place formerly described and found the drops of blood. She shared a look with the miko.

"Let's begin."

**************************************************************************************

Kagome cursed as she yanked the arrow out of her shoulder. "Damn all humans!" Always causing her pain, always hurting her where it would hurt her the worst. She shut down on that line of thought. Back to reality. Not needing to wrap her wounds (her demon blood took care of that) she went to where she kept her supplies, buried beneath the roots of a tree. She stood up and glanced around, feeling the pain of loss. Such a peaceful forest. She could never return. Even with her departure, they would always remember her. She'd pack up tonight and leave on the morrow. It was not safe here anymore. She'd left a trail. The hanyou gathered what she thought she would need until she could reach her next destination. Hey maybe, she'd even visit—

"Stop right there, demon." Her shoulders tightened and then fell with despair. Sango heard her murmur something. "What was that, demon?"

The hanyou turned slowly. There, standing in some sunlight, was a young woman, clutching a large bone boomerang. 

"I said I give up. I don't really know what I was thinking. Try to live in peace with the humans? Try to protect them from their own weaknesses?" She made a violent slashing motion with her claws. "Ridiculous. I should have listened to those more experienced than I when it came to humans. Go ahead. Finish me off. I'm tired of giving and giving and having nothing returned to me other than hate." She shouted towards the end and her face was turned up to Sango's, arms wide, inviting attack. Seeing the bitter tears and extreme pain in the hanyou's eyes, she felt the hold on her weapon loosen and her tense muscles begin to slack.

The miko felt no such reservation. She let her arrow fly true, hitting the hanyou in the side, under the arm. An explosion brightened the clearing, leaving the pair slightly blinded. Still watching, Sango could vaguely see pieces of something flying into the distance like shooting stars. They retreated back, only to be blown away about 50 feet, falling into the underbrush. When all sound returned to normal, they looked back to see total destruction. Their faces paled to see the destruction ended just a few inches from their feet.

Standing up they stared. Eventually, the miko spoke up. 

"Our goal is accomplished. Let us return." With that she turned, walking gracefully away. Sango looked back, biting her lip. The last expression of the now dead hanyou haunted her. Her spine tingled as she turned her back on the desolate scene. 

"This place is cursed." She hurried away from it.

********************************************

After leaving in the confusion, Inu Yasha continued on the road. He felt horrible. His wounds were causing all kinds of pains, and now his peace was shattered. The look of betrayal on Kagome's face seemed to haunt him at every turn in the road. He stopped and went to the side of the road to figure this out. He had met her, been saved by her and then… she had gotten hurt. _'After all she has done for me. I repaid her by being indifferent to her pain.'_ He stared into the sky and sighed._ 'I have to find her, make sure she's all right, explain to her.'_ Feeling that this was the right decision he headed towards the hot springs. From there he could try to find her trail.

An explosion shook the ground beneath his feet and he steadied himself against a tree. There! His eyes widened. Against the darkening sky, shards of light raced across the country. One such light flew towards him and embedded itself into the tree beside him. Taking a belt knife from his boot, he whittled it out. It pulsed in his hands, and he felt his tiredness slip away to be replaced by new vigor. He gasped. Even he knew the legends. He took the pouch around his neck and slipped the shard inside.

Staring into the distance, he felt chilled to the bones. Suddenly he ran with all speed in the direction of that light. "Wait for me, Kagome!!" He shouted into the wind, hoping against hope that he wouldn't be too late.

Inu Yasha gasped in air, as his eyes widened at the destruction. Within a 50 foot radius of the center was a crater. All trees, bushes, grass; even dirt had been burnt away to reveal scorched slabs of bedrock at the bottom. He realized, sadly, that no one could have survived this. But his guts were insistent that, indeed, someone had. His violet eyes searched hopelessly for any sign of anything alive. His eyes caught movement. There! He slid down the slope of the crater, wanting to rush, but not daring to do so in the failing light.

Upon reaching the center he looked into the hole. Light pulsed. Ahhh, that's what he had seen. Another shard. Looking into the hole, a pulse from the shard lit up the scene. There, curved around her arrow wound, was Kagome. His eyes squinted in concentration. Hadn't she been shot in the shoulder, not her side? As he got closer he almost cried out in relief. She was alive!! 

As details became clear, he also noticed that all her clothes had been singed off of her. He blushed, but told his mind to shut up about things like that. He carefully wrapped his hand around her wrist and dragged her up and placed her potato sack style onto his shoulder. He made his way back, almost falling a few times but making it to the top all the same. Laying her down gently, he tried to rouse her.

"Kagome, wake up. I have to pull this arrow out of you." He shook his head at her and glanced away. "If you had been human, you'd be dead right now."

"If I'd been human, I would have died long ago." Startled, he turned back to her.

"He, he, he." She laughed without humor, and with quite a lot of pain. "I'm still alive and kicking. No need to get so surprised about it." She gasped this last part out in pain as she tried to rise. The arrow pulsed when she did that. She looked at it. "Damn miko arrow!"

Her eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips, also grimacing in pain from the burning sensation of the arrow. "I'll need you to pull it out. I can't. I'm half demon." She said, as if in defeat. His hands reached towards the arrow and she flinched before he even got close. He hesitated. "Go on," she growled out between clenched teeth.

"Allow me to do a trick? It's said to perhaps relieve some of the stress during a situation of this kind." 

"Do as you damn well please! Just get that cursed thing out of me!" He nodded and took a deep breath. He grabbed hold of the arrow, and bending forward he kissed Kagome. Kagome, startled, allowed this to happen completely forgetting the situation. Which, of course, was the whole point. Kissing down across her jaw line to her ear, he whispered, "This is going to hurt."

"Wha-?" He pulled the offending arrow out as fast as he could but it seemed to hold on to the flesh. All the while Kagome shrieked in agony, until finally he got it out, and finally, too, she passed out.

*** 

Having wrapped her battered body in his kimono, he decided not to risk further injury, rather then being discovered. Obviously, whoever had done this had left her for dead. Though her skin felt hot, she shivered uncontrollably. However, he was not a healer of any kind and he became overwhelmingly worried when she began to have delusions. She kept calling him Sessho; asking, begging him not to leave, oh please, return to her. 

He decided to risk going to the old hags hut and asking for help. He thanked the gods that it was on the outer edge of the village. He could hear drunken men, boasting loudly about things that hadn't happened and would probably never happen.

Kagome struggled a moment from her position on his back, then rested her chin on his shoulder putting her lips to his ear. 

"Where are you taking us Sessho? You know we're not to do anything before the ceremony." Her voice, decidedly husky, dropped even lower on the word _anything._

He gulped and sped faster. Reaching the old miko's home, he called out as loudly as he dared for the old miko. A candle was lit and light showed through the cracks in the door. The old lady seemed surprised to see him.

"What do you want?" He turned slightly, allowing her to see his burden. She gasped. "Oh, child, hurry in! I can see that we haven't much time." Laying his burden gently before the stove, he leaned against it. Relieved of his duties for the moment, and having all confidence in the old bag as she bustled about, he slipped off into dreamland.

**********************************************************

Across the room Inu Yasha gazed at Kagome's prone form. His face was blank, as he pondered his feelings concerning the small hanyou. Unconscious for three days, he had begun to worry. When he had asked the old hag about it, she had replied, "Miko poison."

"Since when do they have a poison?"

"Their powers, being completely pure, and the demons of course, being evil, caused a chain reaction. Not to the good health of the demons obviously. Full demons are dead by this time. I'm afraid that the only thing keeping her alive is her human half fighting off the poison." She sighed, disheartened. "I know not which will succeed. One for life, the other, death." He was left with the questions that even she could not answer. They plagued him in his own mind. 

Leaving them behind, he went on to sift through the emotions that seemed to roam rampant when it came to Kagome. What he recognized was a sense of responsibility for her plight. If she had not been shot by that villager's arrow in the first place, the demon exterminator would not have found a trail to go by. Seeing that, he understood the base of underlying concern he had for her welfare. 

In the midst of these thoughts, his body was on autopilot. He physically saw the old miko walk in and check the hanyou for temperature. She then checked the bandages of which she approved of. It was so routine that he even let her walk by him. What abruptly brought him out of his thought was the old miko not continuing past him. 

"What?" He grumbled.

"She is fully healed. I suggest ye get some rest even as she does. Ye'll not know what will happen on the next horizon."

"Feh," was all he said. She stepped and then paused right before heading out.

"Oh, yes. Before I forget, some priest has entered the village and asks after you. I think what he said his name was… Miroku." The wanderer grinned.

"So the lecher is here, is he? I guess I'll pay him a visit." He looked down at himself. 

"I'll go and wash a layer of dirt off of me. You," he said, pointing, "must promise that if she wakens, you'll tell me immediately."

"What will I tell her that will keep her here if she wishes to leave?"

"I'm sure you'll come up with something, you old hag." The aged miko 'hmphed' as he stepped out of the hut, causing him to leave the hut with a grin.

******************************************************

Miroku sighed deeply. He'd been here for hours. Nary a sign of Inu Yasha or any cute girls to court. His wandering gaze caught on something and he told himself he had thought too soon. There, carrying a basket of herbs, was the most beautiful woman he he'd ever seen. At least that day, anyway. She had long black hair, reaching her waist, pulled back into a ponytail. Her unique features and the way she held herself in complete confidence seemed to draw him as if to a moth to a flame. Of course, he didn't notice the weapons she carried. 

He sidled up to her side, pretending to look at the wares. Finally, he was close enough to catch her hands, knocking the herbs to the ground. Startled, she turned wide eyes towards him.

"Wha--?"

"Will you bear my child?" 

The girl just stared and began to turn red. He lifted his hand up to her breast and caressed it, as if this would make what he had proposed a better offer.

He didn't know what hit him, (at least the third time, anyway.) First, she slapped him, with more strength than a normal person would have, saying, "That was for that ridiculous question!" Then she punched him in the stomach. He bent over, all the air flying out of his lungs. "That was for the feel up, you hentai!"

Then, stepping back, she pulled out what appeared be a huge boomerang made of bone._ 'Where had that come from?'_ he asked himself as he looked up, and flinched, as he knew what would happen next, but was unable to move from lack of air. 'Whack' As he flew back into a stall, completely destroying it, he heard her words in incredulity. 

"And that was for the herbs. They're ruined!! It took me all day to gather them."

Strapping her boomerang to her back, Sango stooped down to gather what few herbs had escaped the disturbance. Not very many. Sango sighed tiredly and then growled in frustration. The people suddenly found errands to go on, far away from her. _'I'll have to gather more again tomorrow.'_ Finished, she headed to her accommodations hurriedly, as she could sense people staring at her for some reason. _'What ARE they looking at?'_ She wondered.

******************************************************

This is where Inu Yasha found Miroku, apologizing to the stall owner profusely. His friend, priestly robes and all, was not clumsy. So, judging from the destruction, all this could equal up to only one thing: Girl trouble.

A long whistle broke into Miroku's apologies. "Back to your old tricks again, eh, Miroku?" Giving one last bow of apology to the stall owner, Miroku turned and walked towards Inu Yasha. Miroku smiled at his old friend, perfect teeth bright. 

"Nothing to go back to as I never left them." Miroku slapped his hand on Inu Yasha's back in greeting. "Good to finally catch up to you, Inu Yasha." Inu Yasha looked at him, lifting one eyebrow.

"Finally catch up to me? How long have you been after me?"

Miroku ducked his head in embarrassment. "Shortly after you left, Inu Yasha, I gained my priesthood. But…"

"Buuuttt… What, Miroku?"

"I was innocent!! They found me in one of the maiden priestess's quarters. I told them I had heard screaming and rushed to the scene…"

"Annnnd??" Inu Yasha was becoming impatient with this drawing out the story.

"Well... They were bathing and I just decided that they needed protection, in case, any demons came after them."

"Even though that place is covered in demon wards and full of ten full-fledged Priests and miko's experienced in the very art of destroying an array of demons and spirits? Hmmm, is that it?" Inu Yasha said, suspicious.

"Ummm… Yes?" Miroku said, turning red. 

"I can't believe you, Miroku!! You ruined any chance of further study just to ogle at pretty girls in the bathing area? You are such a hentai idiot!!" Miroku turned his head, exposing the growing bruise on his right cheek.

"Whooooah… She got you especially well, did she not?" Miroku turned back, grinning sheepishly, touching his cheek.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid I took off more than I could chew with that one. I didn't notice the weapon on her back..." 

"Probably because you weren't looking at her back."

Miroku ignored the comment, continuing, "Which would have given me the clue that she was a fighter." Miroku frowned in thought.

"What?" Inu asked.

"I was thinking..."_ 'Must be a painful experience,_' Inu Yasha thought, and snickered aloud. 

"The lady seemed to take the most offense at the destruction of her herbs than at my behavior." Hope dawned into Miroku's eyes, giving him a slightly fevered appearance. "Maybe I have a better chance with her than I thought?" His eyes darted in the direction he thought he had seen her go. He sprinted away, waving back to Inu Yasha, and calling out, "See you later, Inu." Miroku soon disappeared from sight. 

Inu Yasha shook his head and chuckled. 'That lecherous priest will never change and I don't think the world would be the same if he did.' He smiled and looked up at the sky. He felt better and more refreshed after his visit with his old friend. It was a brief taste of the normal life he had left in favor of this one, two years ago. _'Ahhh… two years ago almost to the day.'_

*Flashback*

Inu Yasha stood over the graves of his parents, trying to ignore the whispers around him. "They say this happened because they joined even though she was betrothed to another." One woman said to the other, beneath her hand. "Yes, we all expected it to happen. I wonder why they were buried in such high-ranking spots? They are nothing but- "Shhh… Do not insult the dead over their graves. That's just as if you were asking them to curse you." The 2nd woman turned pale with fear. "Do you think they would?""Who knows? They were such an odd pair. I'm almost glad they have left us on this plane. They gave me the creeps though they looked happy enough." Inu Yasha bunched his eyes shut, tears leaking through them. He turned and suddenly shouted at the villagers gathered around him and the graves. "Yes! Yes! They were happy in spite of the way you treated them! They were happy through all the years of spiteful gossip that you subjected them to! Though you shunned them, they lived a happy life from which you were excluded!" He clenched his fists, drained from his outburst. Turning, he stared back into the graves, back as strait as he could make it. He heard the rustling and shuffling of feet but he did not look back. He sensed his friend, Miroku, beside him and felt a hand placed on his shoulder. They stayed that way Inu Yasha didn't know how long, standing there oblivious to the spring rains starting and falling, soaking him. He left the next day. 

*End Flashback*

Inu Yasha stood, cold, though the sun shone brightly upon him. He was almost relieved when the old miko, Kaeda, ran up to him. "Come quickly! The hanyou, Kagome, is wakening!" She huffed out. He nodded and hurried to the hut of the miko's. He was glad to leave behind the memories on his past life.

**

They found her, still on the mat on the floor, and wrapped up in the blanket, staring down at her hands, as if in a trance. Kaeda went in, while Inu Yasha hesitated in the doorway, suddenly feeling out of place. He watched on as the old miko started talking in low tones to Kagome.

* * *

  
Home   
Part Two 

* * *


	2. Chappie 2

Fanfic 

Part Two

* * *

Kagome woke up, her mind going to the last thing she could remember. The explosion. All it did was wish for the oblivion that she had so recently escaped. She heard heavy footsteps, coming up to and into the hut. She didn't bother with the energy of caring. The footsteps came closer, a quiet old voice joining them. It reassured her that she would recover, nobody knew that she was there, etc. Her senses suddenly picked up on the second scent in the room. Knowing it to be the wanderer, betrayer, Inu Yasha, she smiled bitterly, rage beginning to boil within her. Kaeda noticed the expression and began to back off.

"Come to finish me off, Wanderer? Well, you missed your chance." Dropping her blanket, she was in his face in a second, and grabbed the collar of his kimono, lifting him easily off the ground.

"It's a pretty sad example of your kind that even with a clear target to shoot at, you humans fail anyway." She hissed this through clenched teeth and then bared her cat fangs at him. 

Inu Yasha, who had been rather calm up to the point of the fangs, was beginning to look slightly nervous. He had seen the enraged pain in her bright green eyes and was afraid that this hanyou was up to the breaking point of violence. He felt that it would be a very bad move to draw out his sword, Tetsuaiga. She brought her mouth up to his ear and whispered harshly in his ear. 

"The villagers believe me to be the killer of many a man. Maybe I should confirm those beliefs with you?" Inu Yasha's nervousness soon went into full-blown panic. She laughed hollowly. "Don't worry. I've never wished death for anyone but myself."

She lowered him to the ground and let go of his collar. He suddenly became aware of Kaeda words. She had been pulling on the sleeve of Kagome's robe.

"Don't injure the wanderer, Lady Kagome. The only reason ye be alive is because of this lone mans rescue." 

The hanyou's eyes bored into him and narrowed. She bowed low and said sarcastically, "How fortunate I am that you came. Especially as I had finally given into my destruction by your race. You humans really should make up your mind as to whether or not you want to kill this hanyou or not." 

She raised her head to look at the reaction of her words. The wanderer seemed to be staring at something. She followed his gaze to the front of her robe, which had fallen open to reveal that which she did not want to reveal. She spun around, pulling the robe tightly about her, grumbling something about filthy minded humans.

"Just returning the favor," he said, returning to the previous conversation before that little interruption.

"Yes, I did rescue you, didn't I?" She sounded as though she had already let the incident slip from her mind. She tapped her chin with one claw. "A bear youkai wasn't it? Yes, the memory is coming back to me now. It was about to eat your unconscious body. Of course, it softened you up by throwing you into trees before that, right?" 

He flinched. For some reason it bothered him extremely that she did not think well of his fighting abilities. He tried to save himself.

"I did cut off his paw," he grumbled.

She stopped tapping her chin. "Why, yes, you did do that. And with that sharp sword of yours, no doubt. Good job." Emphasis on the word good, it caused him to envision him as a small child being patted on the head. He clenched his hands in anger, about to retort. 

"Now, unless you're going to watch me undress, I suggest you leave," she said haughtily. Inu Yasha was of a half mind to stay, but hurriedly backed out of the hut's doorway, when he saw her lowering the robe, bearing her shoulders. 

Now that the man had gone, Kagome gave into a fit of giggles. Kaeda just stared at her as if she were insane. That just started another peal of laughter of which Kagome recovered from breathlessly. "Come," she gestured towards the miko, "Check my injuries and give me the all clear. I want out of this infernal hut."

******

All Kaeda had for something to wear was a miko uniform similar to her own. Kagome protested, feeling it extremely inappropriate for a hanyou to be wearing such a thing. Kaede pestered until she got her way.

"Go on, you can't go around bare to the world. I can't borrow anything else in your size lest I be suspicious." Although Kagome agreed in this, she still felt uncomfortable.

She felt like she was smothered in cloth after all those years of living in just her pants and shirt. She hadn't worn anything like this in… What? 15 years? But a short time for a half-demon that didn't age as others did. She only looked to be 16 or 17.

No one would guess at a glance that she was turning 31 that year as soon as the summer came. She came upon a pond and looked in at her reflection. She hadn't changed physically at all. Her eyes reflected the years, she decided. Wiser and definitely harder.

**

After running away from the hut, Inu returned. Seeing Kagome at the pond he went towards her, a twig snapping in the silence loudly. The hanyou spun, going into a crouch, reaching behind her for her bow and not finding it. Inu Yasha hurriedly stepped back, waving his hands in front of him. She glared at him with suspicion, eyes filled to the brim with it, and he remembered when those eyes had been filled with innocent curiosity. It pained him, somehow, that they were this way.

"Hey, hey. I didn't come to attack you!" He untied his sword and placed it on the ground. He held his arms out to his sides. "See? No weapons." She sniffed and all that came back to her was sincerity. As all demons, she smelt lies and truth as well as other emotions. Satisfied, she straitened and turned back to the pond. He remained where he was, a few feet away from her.

"I must be losing my touch. Even a lesser demon would have heard you, smelt you." He walked towards her, ending up at her side and joining her in the exciting activity of looking into the water.

"Smelt?" He asked.

She looked at him in scorn. "All should know that demons can smell humans miles away. We can even smell individual scents from far away if we have encountered them enough." She snorted. "That usually doesn't happen as we most likely killed the bearer of the scent the first time we meet it."

"We? You count yourself as one of the demons then?"

"Of course! What demon in their right mind would want to be counted as a human?" Though her words were harsh, Inu Yasha sensed a tinge of longing, which confused him. Silence reigned.

"Feh. Is being half human as bad as that?" Inu Yasha suddenly walked away, not waiting far an answer, feeling the hanyou's eyes follow him. He stopped. "By the way," he said, "I found this near your body." He flicked something at her, over his shoulder. She caught the glowing thing easily. "Do you happen to know what it is?"

He heard Kagome gasp and he turned in time to see her expression of awe.

"Why this… This is…" She couldn't seem to finish.

"It happens to be a shard of the Shikon jewel. Not many would recognize it."

"All demons would recognize this. Especially I, with my training…" He looked at her curiously, wondering about that phrase. When she did not elaborate, he went on.

"I have no idea why it would be there but I think that it had something to do with the explosion that happened before I found you."

Kagome frowned. She tucked it into a deep pocket in her miko outfit. "All I can remember is being hit by that miko arrow..." She pressed a hand to her demon healed wound. All that would remain of her brush with death would be a scar. "And then a bright light and a loud sound that hurt my ears."

Her ears twitched with remembered pain. A deeper frown marred her flawless skin, a memory tugging at the front of her mind. She talked to him over her shoulder.

"Are you also the one that pulled the arrow from me?" 

Suddenly embarrassed, he shook his head. "No, that was Kaede." Lying, he hoped she wouldn't catch the lie. He sighed, relieved, seeing that she didn't. He didn't want that kiss to be something awkward between them. 'It hadn't meant anything, anyway… Right?' He shivered suddenly.

"Cold?" Kagome questioned. He realized that they had been staring at each other for at least a minute. "I'd forgotten you humans succumbed so easily to the elements. Maybe you should head on inside the hut." She started heading towards the forest.

Feeling the situation start to slip away from him, he panicked a little. He ran after her and stood before her. "Wait! What are you doing?"

"What I had begun to do before I was attacked. Leave." She answered him simply, stepping past him. He stepped in front of her again.

She put her hands on her hips and glared up at him, just now noticing that he was taller than she. "What do you want?" She asked, annoyed.

"Let me go with you!" He suddenly blurted.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Why on earth would you want to do that?" She asked, shocked from her usual sarcastic self.

He searched his mind for a reason. "Ummm…" He latched on the first one that would make any sense to the practical hanyou. "The shards!"

Kagome's eyebrows rose in confusion. "What about them?"

"Why, we have to find them! We can't very well let all those demons suck them up and destroy the countryside as well as kill a lot of people." 

She bowed her head and stepped past him, stopping a few feet away. "Why should I care that humans die?" She said emotionlessly. 

A breeze whipped by her hair, catching it and lifting it into the air. She sniffed it, catching the smell of children. She heard them. They were playing, loudly, joyous in the fun of a world that they would soon learn was definitely not fun, as soon as the next demon showed up. A tear slipped from her eye. The trees rustled along with the breeze, seeming to call to her, offering solace from her thoughts. False, they were. These thoughts she would never escape from. Unaware of what she was going through, the wanderer continued and she only half-listened as her heart was dragged down into an abyss.

"You seemed to care before." He said quietly. Not getting a response, he tried to get her attention. "You must show responsibility for the jewel." He said more forcefully.

Already having made her decision, she said, "Fine. Gather your supplies and things and I'll meet you down the road a ways. Tomorrow. Let's not let on to the villagers that I am alive. It might make them unhappy. As soon as I leave they'll soon learn what that word means, anyways." She sprung up, bounced off the branch and was gone from sight, leaving no evidence as to her leave taking. 

* * *

* * *

_

*The next day, morning*

_ Having not much money and wary of the suspicious stares cast his way, Inu Yasha did not dawdle. After getting the supplies needed for any journey, he looked around the market, wondering if he should buy something else. Walking by a stall, something shiny caught his eye. Coming towards it, he realized it was a jewelry stall and was about to leave when the small statue that had caught his attention earlier, flashed again. Telling himself a little look wouldn't hurt; he stepped up to the wares to get a closer look.

The statue, he was amused to see, was in the shape of a tiny cat demon. For there were two bushy tails wrapped around the haunches of the cute little thing. It was well crafted for one could almost see the muscles rippling beneath the silver skin. Its tiny emerald eyes glittered up at him, reminding him suddenly of a certain hanyou. Especially with that curious expression, head cocked to one side, which seemed to take stock of him. 

"Ahhh, sir, I see you are interested in my wares." The stall owner glanced at what the buyer was looking at, and eagerly looked back at the customer. What the buyer didn't know was that the owner had been trying to get rid of that particular statue for some time now. He hadn't known what had impelled to buy this from the artist, and had been disappointed. The artist, when asked, had said he didn't know what had come over him to make it, either. He had mumbled something about seeing the creature in a dream.

"Only one kind of man would enjoy such a piece as this." The stall owner dissembled.

"What kind of man? Perhaps you would clear that up for me." He said, almost growling.

The owner, suddenly noticed the stares cast at the stranger, and saw the stranger's hand resting on the handle of the sword, and swallowed nervously.

"Why, a great man with fine taste. Perhaps you would like to know the price."

The owner named off a ridiculously high price, which he quickly lowered when he received a look from the wanderer. The bartering went on for ten minutes, each naming reasons why it should be such and such price. Inu Yasha grew tired of this.

"If you can't go any lower than that than I shall have to go elsewhere for business." He stepped away from the stall; a signal meaning the bartering was over.

The owner, seeing his chance of finally getting rid of the cursed thing slipping away, quickly said he agreed to the buyer's price. Spitting in his hand he clasped the wanderers quickly. Inu Yasha felt disgusted, as he hadn't remembered until now how a deal was sealed. He took his prize, and headed out of town, his pockets empty. Wondering why he had bought it, he stopped and looked at it again.

A voice, from behind, startled him greatly and he tucked his prize into his pack.

"Ahhh… I saw it! What is it? A present for a lady-friend?" Miroku had been joking, of course, but when he saw the look on Inu's face, he had to laugh.

"I knew it!" He crowed. "Inu's has a lady friend, Inu's got a lady friend!" He said in an annoying singsong voice.

"Shut up!" Inu Yasha growled. "I do not!"

Miroku ignored him. "So who's the lucky lady, hmmm? Had to have been very beautiful to catch your heart. You're so picky when it comes to girls." 

"Compared to you, a desperate man would be considered picky."

Miroku put a hand to his chest. "You wound me deeply, friend." He said and couldn't keep a straight face. He placed an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Well, is it anyone I know?" No response. "Is she from this village?"

"Kind of." Inu muttered. Miroku stepped away.

"Ha! You admit you have a lady friend!" Inu growled as he realized the trap.

"Well, if she's not beautiful why would you pick her? It wouldn't be because she was good in the sack, hmmm?" He looked at Inu with a knowing gleam in his eye.

Inu Yasha turned a deep shade of red. "No way!! It's NOT that like that at all!!"

Having exploded like a good little bomb, he stomped out of town, and down the road. His stomps gradually grew less in sound as it helped him work off his feelings. Because of all this stomping, he didn't notice the figure walking a ways behind him. Turning, he started to shout at Miroku to go away, but was pounced on from behind. 

"Oooff," was all the sound that escaped with his air.

** 

Kagome had been waiting for an hour when she sighted the wanderer down the road. It was a dirt path, really. She was impatient and when the wanderer stopped, just below her tree, she was suddenly taken with and impish idea. She dropped from her tree quietly, and advanced upon her victim, grinning with the thought of the scare she was going to give him. That would get him back for the long wait!

**

Miroku, finished with his business in the village, (more like he was banished after trying to sneak into the chief's eldest daughter's room,) followed Inu Yasha's stomping footsteps. Because of all the noise his friend was making, he wasn't noticed until he was about a mile out. Inu Yasha turned to him, annoyance plainly written on his face. Sudden movement to the side of his friend caught Miroku's eye. He watched, horrified as the youkai attacked Inu.

He rushed up and hit the youkai in the head with his staff, causing it to roll away.The youkai came out of the roll, went into a crouch, and pulled out a bow and arrow, letting an arrow fly. It hit the ground before Miroku in a warning he did not heed.

**

Kagome's eyes widened as the crazed human came at her again, with only a staff, after she had given him a warning shot of her bow. Looking towards the still downed wanderer, she made her choice. Her bow taut she aimed for the kill. A shout broke her concentration, causing the fatal blow to become just another lost arrow in the woods. The would-be attacker and the hanyou stared each other down in silence, as Inu Yasha stood up and dusted himself off.

**

Inu walked over to his friend and rested his hand on Miroku's shoulder. "Now before you kill each other, I'd like to introduce you both. This is Kagome. She is a demon and is now my traveling companion. Kagome, this is an old friend. His name is Miroku a.k.a. the lecherous hentai-priest." Miroku grumbled about improper introductions. Inu grinned and turned away.

"So sorry, my Lady Kagome. I didn't know you were the friend of this here ragamuffin." Inu sputtered. "If I may ask one question?" Kagome nodded. Miroku rushed forward and clasped her hands._(Dun, dun, dunnnn.)_

"Will you bear my child?" Miroku asked with all seriousness.

Inu hid a grin, and waited for the show to start. He was disappointed, though.Kagome blinked and actually… blushed? Inu stared at the sight. He'd never seen a demon blush before and she happened to look so pretty doing it… Whoa! Squish that thought, Inu! Inu was further flabbergasted when he heard her reply.

"You would really want a hanyou like me bear your child?"

Miroku, surprised at not getting slapped, took his time thinking about it.

"Why, yes I most certainly would! Your beautiful enough, and being part demon would be an advantage to any offspring I had. I'm trying to kill a certain demon myself, and if I should fail, I will want an heir to continue this quest." Kagome took in his words.

"I'd really have to seriously think about it. Right now is not the correct time of year for things like that, anyway." She said turning away. 

Miroku blinked. 'Right time… of year?' They were both shocked out of their little bubble by a spluttering Inu Yasha.

"You're actually considering to… I can't believe you two!!" Inu looked about ready to explode all over again. Miroku's eyes took on a gleam. He turned to Kagome, who was staring at the spluttering Inu._ 'I guess I thought he was always serious,'_ she thought to herself, surprised at his actions. 

"Ohhh… So you're the girl." Miroku nodded sagely as if all were clear to him now.Kagome just looked confused.

"Ummm… Girl?" She asked. Miroku went over to the steaming Inu Yasha and nudged him in the ribs.

"Interesting choice, my friend. But understandable, certainly understandable.

The wanderer started turning red, and the hanyou looked at him strangely.

"Shut up! Let's go! Were wasting time just standing and talking and someone may see us." With that, the trio moved onward. 

None noticed the movement in the bushes as the spy ran off.

The youkai spy was shoved through the narrow hallway and brought to a thick, but simple door. The ugly, hunched over, but huge youkai knocked on it. 

"Come in…" Something hissed from within. The large youkai practically threw the demon inside and quickly shut the door. The small green spy cowered before the great youkai before him. Newly raised through the ranks though his lord was, he was, nevertheless among the strongest youkai's in the four lands.

Some said he even planned to take over the lands of the West, wresting it from the strongest dog demon that had ever lived.

"Lord." He squeaked.

"Report." He heard the harsh whisper.

"The rogue hanyou… she is still alive, my lord."

"Explain." The word came forth in an angry hiss. The spy trembled.

"After the explosion, she was left for dead by the pair hired to kill her. Some wanderer, who brought the hanyou to a willing miko to heal, shortly rescued her. After recovering, the pair left the miko, followed by another man. A brief skirmish between the hanyou and the second man ended with the realization that they were both friends of the wanderer. They banded together and headed in a NE direction, from which I came to you with a report." His voice had wavered every now and then but his lord seemed not to notice.

"Hmmm… NE you said?" A low waspish chuckle came from the dark before him. The lowly frog demon whimpered in fear.

"Return, now, to the trio. I will assign to you a wind shrike. It will carry messages much swifter than your short legs ever would."

"But, my Lord… Wind shrikes like to eat little frog youkai."

"That would be unfortunate for you. I suggest you be careful, then." Obviously a dismissal, the frog demon started crawling away.

"Oh… And Jaken?"

"Yes, Lord?"

"Don't fail. It would be extremely painful for you."

Jaken nodded. He continued his crawl out the door. No one saw the evil smile on the Lord's face. 

_'I shall get you soon, my little hanyou.'_

_**Bwahahahahaha. What did you think? Who is this evil lord who is spying on Kagome? Any guesses? Of course there aren't any! I've only introduced five characters and you can quickly cross out all of them. What? The lady on the side of the road that Inu Yasha asked for directions from, you say? That's just ridiculous! Until next time!**_

  
Home   
Part 1   
Part 3 

* * *


	3. Chappie 3

Fanfic 

Part Three

* * *

"What is our destination and quest, Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked. Inu Yasha did not have the patience right then so it was left to Kagome. Inu listened to her recitation. When it came to the part about him, he listened intently, wondering what she would say. She recited what she thought had happened and he corrected her on almost every part that didn't concern her, severely annoying her. After one such interruption, Kagome stopped in her tracks and 'hmphed.' 

"If you know the story sooo well, wanderer, maybe you should tell it."

Inu looked uncomfortable as he realized what he had been doing.

"Feh. A waste of breathe and time anyway, if you ask me."

"Our quest a waste of time?! I don't even know why you insisted on joining me on this insane quest anyway! It's not like WE need it?" Miroku stepped back, getting a better look at the picture of them.

"I thought you were all for saving people, huh?!" Inu shouted.

"Not when I have to deal with an overly emotional HUMAN male!"

Kagome stalked away 10 feet or so and took deep breaths as she sheathed and unsheathed her claws. Both men got an alarmed look on their faces as they noticed this.

Minutes passed in silence. Kagome broke it with her quiet words.

"I really care about you humans too much, don't you understand? I sense your pain and feel it keenly within my own heart. It feels horrible when you humans are so unfairly taken advantage of by demons. It's pointless slaughter after pointless slaughter, and death after death and all for what? A power struggle that has gone on senselessly for ages. Though my demon half causes more problems than it fixes, I count it a blessing that I am able to help humans with it. Maybe show that not all demons are bad."

Footsteps as Miroku came forward and placed a hand on the hanyou's shoulder. Squeezing lightly to show his support, he said, " A noble cause, Lady Kagome. I am honored to be included in it."

Kagome smiled tearfully and said, "Oh, thank you, Miroku!" She threw her arms around him, feeling relief at finally finding a friend. The warm fuzzy moment was broken with a resounding slap. It knocked Miroku quite a couple of feet away, and added to the bruises that girl in the market had given to him the day before.

"I can't believe you did that!! Don't ever touch me without my permission, or you shall suffer the consequences." She unsheathed her claws before the lecherous priest, passing them before his eyes. The priest's licked his suddenly dry lips.

Sheathing her claws again, and rocking on the heels or her feet, she said, "Now that that's settled, maybe we should continue, possibly a bit faster as you two have been walking like turtles." She helped the lecher back to his feet.

Inu cleared his throat. "Yeah, we should be moving faster. We'll discuss destinations tonight at camp."

"Camp? Oh yes. Do you plan on sleeping every night?" Kagome asked.

"That usually is how a human day goes. How do you rest, if I may ask?" Miroku looked at her quizzically.

"I just take a nap here and there unless I'm truly exhausted. Then I sleep about as long as you humans do while I recover from my wounds."

"Then why did you sleep for three whole days this week?" Inu asked, annoyed.

Kagome's eyes clouded over. "Did it ever occur to you that I didn't really want to wake up? Anyways, I was infected with miko poisoning. That's pretty hard stuff to contend with and my human side was doing all the healing not my demon side."

"Oh." Inu said, at a loss for words for once.

Continuing on, and picking up the pace, Kagome told the rest of the story, glaring at Inu Yasha in warning. After it was all said and done, Miroku trailed behind to take it all in. Inu was still ahead, until the hanyou loped ahead of him and into the forest.

She came back about five minutes later, acting as if nothing had occurred. She continued this behavior as the hours went by, and they went in the direction of the distant mountains.

Finally, Inu Yasha snapped on her return. "What is the purpose of you going in and out of the trees?"

"Shhh…" She said, placing one claw to her lips. "Don't let them know that I know that they are there." A look of consternation took over his face.

She tried to explain. "If you can not let on that you are aware of them, they will leave from boredom. See, they gather power from being noticed." Kagome glanced around anxiously. "But they seem to be gathering in large numbers. I have the distinct feeling that they are after the jewel shards!"

"What are they, Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked quietly.

Keeping her eyes on the forest she leaned her head in closely to Miroku's. "They appear to be innocent squirrels but—

"What?! Were slinking about like thieves because of squirrels?!" He laughed, relieving the tension at having learned that they were being followed. He let his pack slide from his arm as he stepped up to the edge of the forest.

"Here, squirrelly, squirrelly, squirrelly! Come out, come out wherever you are! Can the cute little squirrels leave the forest or are your mommies holding you back?"

Inu Yasha suddenly became aware of the red eyes staring out at him from the growing darkness of the forest. Chattering, the creatures had him on edge. He rested his palm on his sword.

Kagome slapped her forehead. "Now you've done it! How could I ever think that you were a serious person?" They hanyou heard a strange fluty noise. The chattering intensified. Kagome's eyes widened.

"Run! They're about to attack!" She grabbed each of their hands and sped away.

They weren't dragging their feet, for she was running at such a high speed, that they just kind of flew behind her, eyes closed from the sting of the wind. Miroku looked back, and almost choked. Hundreds of… squirrels with mouths full of teeth were chasing after them, slowly gaining. One jumped, trying to get a bite, but was lost under the mass.

"How close are they?" Another squirrel jumped, nearly getting rewarded with a toe. "Eeepp! Pretty close!" Miroku replied.

Kagome's mind raced trying to find a way to live through this situation. The air brought her the scent of a large body of water, and she swerved, facing that direction, and racing into the trees. It slowed her down; especially as the bodies floating behind her kept hitting the trees.

"Do you think *Thump* you could possibly *oof* stop knocking us *whack* into trees?" Inu yelled out sporadically.

"Sorry! We have to reach water before they get us!" Kagome yelled back.

"Why don't *smack* we just *slapped by branch* fight them?"

"Too many! They would swarm us and then we'd be chow. Why'd you have to go and insult them, huh? It's your fault were in this!" She replied.

" I thought you were just trying to mess with our heads!" Inu shouted.

"Why would I do that?" She said, startled, and slowing down.

**"Don't slow down!!"** Both men yelled, panicked.

"Sorry!" She said again, a burst of speed bringing them in sight of the lake. Kagome sensed the mass of demons almost upon them. _'Too close!'_ She let go of them, and took Miroku by the arm.

"Wha— Ahhhhh!!!" He screamed, as she lifted him off the ground and threw him towards the vicinity of the lake. *Splash* She turned quickly to Inu Yasha. His eyes widened and he made as if to protest. She seized his arm, spun to get momentum, and sent him flying after Miroku. Now that they were safe, she turned to face certain death.

She grinned maliciously and wielded her claws. They wouldn't get her without a fight! A second later you couldn't see her for all the demon squirrels.

***

Inu Yasha watched from his place the air, horrified, as Kagome was swarmed. Right before he hit the water, he saw the squirrel demons fall back as if from an explosion.***Splash*** Reaching the bottom, he instinctively pushed back with his feet, the resulting force of it bringing him quickly to the surface. He made for shore, though his sword weighed him down with every stroke. There was no way that Inu Yasha was leaving the family heirloom behind.

The shoreline was covered in jagged rocks, so he could safely assume that he was now on the other side of the huge lake. Luckily, he still had his footwear, so he didn't cut his feet. He squinted at the incoming darkness, looking for any sign of his companions. Making his way to the other side of the lake, he saw a glimmer from the water. He climbed down, and snatched Miroku's staff up from the water.

He called out. "Miroku!" A groan a ways in the forest brought him hurriedly to his friend's side. Looking him over, he took stock of his friend. Miroku's lank hair, usually pulled back in a neat topknot, fell to his shoulders in a soggy mess. His robes were ripped and torn, probably from those jagged rocks on the shoreline. Overall, he looked like a wet rat. He helped his friend into an upright position.

"Ahhh… Not much of a swimmer, especially dragging around all this water weight. Add to that sharp, jagged, pointy rocks and you have disaster." Miroku said, chuckling.

"Here's your staff, Miroku."

"Thanks Inu. I'd feared I'd lost it forever." The ring jingled as it came into Miroku's hands. Getting to their feet, they stared into the darkening sky as it slowly sank from view behind the trees.

Eventually, Miroku broke the silence. "Let's make camp and decide what to do in the present tomorrow morning." No response. "I'm truly very sorry for your loss, my friend. But we must—

"Do you think she could of made it? I can't help but think that someone like her would survive. Even with all the odds against her." Inu stopped, realizing his words meant nothing and that they really couldn't change anything.

"We'll search for her in the morning. But I'm afraid that all we'll be able to do for her is bury and pass rites over her." Miroku said sadly. They gathered wood and made a fire, though they had no food, in silence. Making their pallets, they escaped their thoughts for the oblivion of sleep.

***

The strange whistling was heard even over the sounds of the swarming squirrel demons. In one uniform motion they stopped their attack and turned away from the now unconscious form. As one, they went into the forest, leaving the hundreds of dead and wounded behind surrounding the body of the hanyou. It was not a pretty scene, when all movement had stopped to reveal it.

Of course, the gore did not bother the small frog demon, Jaken, at all, as he left the curtain of the trees. He breathed in the deeply satisfying smell of drying blood. Pleased, he went forward, looking down at the rogue hanyou. Covered in blood, Jaken suddenly felt a stab of panic. Was the ugly thing dead?_'No,'_ he breathed a sigh of relief; the smell of death did not waft up from it. His Lord would not of been happy about the death of this hanyou. The Lord wanted this one for himself, though Jaken couldn't see why. Anything human disgusted him.

Looking it over, he decided he had perhaps let the squirrel demons gnaw on it too long. (Ewwww…) 

Taking a slip of rice paper from his pocket, he wrote a note that no one but a select few would understand, and tied it quickly to the Wind Shrike's leg, hopping away in nervousness. It gave him an ominous red glare before it beat its wings and flew off at a speed no normal human could see. Hours passed as the creepy frog demon waited for a reply. What he got, however, made him want to run away.

Riding a two-headed demon monstrosity, his Lord came to the area swiftly. Stepping lightly from it, he seemed to float towards the hanyou, long silver hair trailing behind him. Jaken came forward, groveling at the great Lord's feet. He was ignored, and rightly so, for he was a disgusting, gross, creepy, slimy… Sorry. Anyways…

***

Lord Naraku looked down at the mess before him. Knowing that the hanyou was alive, he didn't let on to this fact until the human part of his mind was far enough down in an abyss of despair to amuse him. Once enlightened, Naraku grimaced at the shout of joy, which only he could hear, that this information elicited. However, that part of Naraku slowly began to get worried and queried his possessor. Naraku smiled slightly. 

"Yes, she certainly does look raw." Naraku cocked his head as he patiently listened to the minds rambling. "I suppose so. Can't let her slip away." Naraku took a whiff of the area and smirked._ 'She turned demon again, during her struggle. You know what that means?'_

Naraku bent down and lifted his wrist above Kagome. One claw sliced his wrist and he let a stream of blood land on her wounds. The slice healed quickly over as he bid it to do so, and he watched as his blood mixed in the hanyou's wounds, making them disappear as if they were never there. Standing, he looked down at the work completed. Her pale skin shone in the newly risen moon and she seemed to take on a glow, confirming what he had already guessed.

_'Soon. Soon all will be in place and we shall both be content with our efforts. Shan't we… Sesshomeru?'_

Laughing evilly, and Lord Naraku walked to his beast, and Jaken looked up in fear at his Lord and got his first clear look at him. 

His Lord was taller than most of the humans that he resembled so much. Of course, this was normal, as many a powerful demon took on this form to get around easier. Long silver hair hung, almost reaching his Lord's feet, glinting brightly in the moonlight. Jaken trembled in fear as icy blue eyes took notice of him. The claw marks on his cheek and the crescent moon on his Lord's forehead seemed to flash at Jaken. The frog demon gulped.

"Ahhh, yes. The loyal Jaken." Said demon cringed.

"Carry on. Keep me aware of any changes." With that, his lord left him, glad to be alive. A groan from behind sent the frog demon scrambling into the underbrush.

***

Kagome moaned again, just for good measure. 'God… I feel like someone whacked me in the head with a boulder.' Putting a hand up to her forehead she winced.

Deigning to look around, she became aware of the smell of rotting youkai bodies and the stale smell of blood. A familiar scent came to her… It couldn't be! Taking another deeper sniff, she told herself she was completely insane. That scent was similar but different. Besides, it was demon, and he had been human. Catching another scent, that of a demon frog, she wrinkled her nose up in distaste. 

Kagome's eyes widened in panic as she frantically searched for the shard in her pocket. She closed her hand about it and brought it out. It was pulsing its bright pinkness at her. She sighed. Was this what had kept her alive? She couldn't remember anything after turning to fight to the death. She frowned. Why did she keep having all these memory lapses?

She groaned as she got to her feet. The aches and pains were leaving her quickly as they were soothed away by her demon healing. She tucked the shard away, not wishing to give away her position in the darkness. The moonlight shone on the lake, making it look almost magical. Such beauty, however, was marred by all the floating, hanging, and half-buried rotting youkai surrounding it. She tried to scent for her friends, but all it did was lead her to the water. 

_'Well, I guess I have to find them the usual way. If I was human, I'd guess that would be to stumble around, make lots of noise, and curse as I ran into trees, stubbed my big toe on a boulder, and tripped on a twig. Then, feeling paranoid, I would start to get the feeling that eyes were on me. Although those eyes would probably be that of a harmless hoot owl, I would nevertheless start freaking, give way to panic, and start screaming inane things like, 'Save me! Save me!'_ A strange expression entered Kagome's face, before she gave into the giggles at the ridiculous scene she had conjured up. 

Her stomach muscles tingled as she sighed in contentment up at the moon. 

"It's good, then, that I'm not human!" She said out loud. She then set out about the task of locating her friends. With, of course, none of the situations that said human would go through. 

Finding them a short hour later, she made sure they were fine, before finding herself a nice tree to sleep in that overlooked them. She yawned and stretched, her claws unsheathing. Comfortable, she fell into a dream filled sleep. Filled with memories permeated with that familiar scent.

***

Kagome woke up three hours later *cat nap*. She left the branch in favor of the ground. At the base of the tree she stretched, unsheathing her claws, and kneaded the bark. Arching her back, she purred. Finished, she headed towards the camp, wondering if her friends had awakened. No such luck. Not up to hunting for breakfast she was disappointed to see that the wanderer didn't have his pack.

Stalking over, she hunkered over him. "Hey!" He didn't wake up so she poked him. "Hey! Where's your pack? I'm hungry!" Inu Yasha eyes snapped open and he was suddenly sitting up, surprising Kagome so much that she started to lose her balance.

The fight was completely lost when the wanderer leaped upon her hugging her body tightly against him. "You're alive!" He said loudly, causing her to grimace. She tried to peel him off her, feeling slightly strange, as all her hands seemed to do was rest on his. 

"Of course I'm not dead! Though If I were human I certainly would be!" Suddenly she went limp with shock in his arms. Inu Yasha looked into her face, concerned.

She just stared at him. "You! You pulled the arrow out! You lied! You…" Her eyes widened further and she blushed. Inu Yasha could just imagine what she was thinking, and he stepped back, abruptly letting her go. 

"It didn't mean anything! I swear! I was just—" Miroku walked up, rubbing his eyes. "What's all the noise about?" The sleep rubbed from his eyes, he suddenly noticed Kagome standing there. His mouth formed an 'O'. 

"WHAT are you staring at? You humans are acting like—" She noticed Inu also making the same actions. She followed their gaze, which seemed to be fixed upon something behind her. "What is…"

***

Birds were startled from the trees a mile away as a scream shattered the peace of the morning. 

* * *

Heart beating quickly from the shock, she grabbed the source of her agitation and pulled it before her. A fuzzy peach tail was in her hands, the same shade of her hair, with long white hairs sprouting from the underside of it. Right now it was about the length of her arm, but Kagome knew from experience that it would grow with time. Thoughts going at a furious rate, she calculated how much time she had.

Turning to her friends, who were still staring at her, she asked them an important question. "This whole time, ever since we left the village we've been going northeast right? I've been leading you northeast?"

"Well… yes." Miroku put a finger up to his chin in thought, "I have been wondering about that, as there were many other directions to chose from. But I gave up that line of thought when I just guessed you had heard of some shard rumors up that way."

Kagome cursed fluently, surprising them with her rather colorful vocabulary. She started pacing before them, ears twitching rather agitatedly atop her head. An odd sight with the new addition of the tail, which seemed to mirror the owner's mood by undulating wildly.

Kagome stopped, seemingly calm, and appeared to be lost in thought as she stared into the distance towards the mountains._'My body's tricked me into going where I've had no wish to go in a long time. I guess I should thank my lucky stars it hasn't already happened before this.'_ Behind her, Inu Yasha shifted, causing his sword to clang and breaking her out of her reverie.

Turning on her heel, her eyes widened as she actually tripped on a small young tree, about a foot tall, growing right where she had chosen to step. Incredulous at the very idea of such a happenstance, she didn't react quick enough to stop her fall. The wanderer was just a few steps away, however, so he cushioned her fall, catching her beneath the arms.

Face pressed into the folds of his kimono, Kagome inhaled his scent once again.Right now, she smelled confusion, concern and… what was that? Alarmed, she tried to push away, but the arms just tightened around her, hands pressed into the small of her back. A purr escaped her.

Starting to panic at her involuntary actions, she leaned away, though the demon half of her protested it. Unaware of the emotions he was provoking, Inu Yasha looked at her, concern evident in his face.

"Are you alright, Kagome?"

She jerked away from him, almost causing him to fall himself from the shift of balances. As she was walking away, he became annoyed at her reaction to a simple question.

"Hey, what was that for?" Ignoring his question, she spoke to both them.

"I'll scout ahead, retrieve your pack, and perhaps gather some fresher food. Most of what you had in that pack must be damaged. Head out towards the mountains in as much a northeastern direction as possible. I'll catch up with you later." 

She bounded into the forest. Inu Yasha started wrapping his bedroll up, complaining about hanyou's and their strange behavior. He didn't notice Miroku staring at the space once occupied by Kagome before she had left. 

*****

Sango left Kaede's village early that morning, unknowingly walking in the footsteps of the half demon she had been hired to kill. After staying a couple of days and helping out with some other demons, free of charge of course, she had decided it was time to leave. She felt oddly saddened by the leave taking. The village had reminded her so much of her own. Perhaps she would give her home a little visit on her way through the mountains.

A couple of hours later she came upon a strange scene. A pack, left stranded in the middle of the road, it's contents scattered across it. She spotted and recognized demon paw prints, as well as two human males and a female. Picking up the pack, easy for the youkai exterminator to carry even with her other burdens, she followed the tracks a ways down the road before they suddenly swerved into the forest.

She raised her eyebrows at it. It might as well have been a path, if she hadn't noticed the newly broken branches and undergrowth. A swarm, she decided, and it was apparently rather intent on catching its prey, destroying everything in its path. Sango picked a tuft of youkai hair from a snapped branch.

_'Strange… squirrel youkai rarely gather in brute force. I wonder what they were after.'_ She looked down the path of destruction and caught a slight movement to the side.

She spun, grabbed her boomerang from her back, and swung it towards that direction, watching the sky for an escaping youkai. Returning back to her, she was disappointed.

A voice behind startled her. "Tut, tut. Too slow!" Turning, Sango's eyes widened.

"But you're…! The explosion…!"

"No such luck! That's old news. You really should keep up." Kagome took the pack from its fallen position on the ground. "I'll be taking this. It belongs to me, so I'll just be on my way, right?" The hanyou made as if to leave. A whirring sound was all she got as a warning. Kagome ducked, hair flying as the boomerang whipped past her.

"Hey! You could hurt someone with that!"

"That is sort of the point, hanyou. You should be dead! I was hired to kill you. Now you've murdered again and I shall not fail this time in my endeavor." Sango strengthened her hold, readying to throw again. Pack slung on her back, Kagome could not get to her bow. So she tried a different approach.

"Hey, hey! I'm not looking for a fight! This is my pack, really! I didn't—

Her words were cut short by her leap from danger. She felt the fire of anger lick at her demon blood and she tried to stamp it out desperately._ 'No! Not again!'_

Landing on a tree branch, she looked down at her attacker. "Look, girl, I have no idea who you are but I don't want to hurt you. So I'll have to disappoint you and leave right now, okay? Bye now!" Kagome gave a little wave before she leaped away, just in time to miss another flying attack.

*****

An hour later, Kagome found her companions traveling in the forest, making good headway. Not wanting to join the group just yet, she continued on, scouting ahead as she said she would. No disturbances so far and she didn't smell anything on the wind. 

She did, however, smell some wild mushrooms nearby. 'Yuuumm.' Mushrooms were her favorite. Especially roasted on a juicy rabbit. There were several kinds of mushrooms before her, but she knew which were poisonous or medicinal. Though in small doses they could be hallucinogenic. 

She grimaced in embarrassment at that memory. 'So I'd made a little mistake between types of mushrooms! Who knew that the patients would act that way!' She grinned, picking the correct mushrooms. Before standing up though, her hand hovered over those particular mushrooms. Dropping Inu Yasha's pack, she rifled through it, looking for a pouch.

"Aha!" Taking the special mushrooms, she shoved them into it. Only a few, you only needed a little to block pain. The problem before was that she had given them the whole mushroom.

Perched in the treetops, she scented the air again. This time, though, she smelt something. Shading her eyes from the sun, she saw it, just in time to be snatched away from the trees.

Claws dug into her shoulder, drawing blood. "Damn!" 'Another shirt wasted! Well, I guess I could just patch them over but that- Kagome gasped in pain as the claws dug into her, grinding against her shoulder blade. The bird youkai swooped down, and Kagome looked to their destination.

"Ooohh, no! Definitely do not wish to be baby bird food. Let me go!" Seeing no sense in trying to reason with a lower bird youkai, she unsheathed her claws and slashed at the legs that held her. "AREWARK!" The bird screamed, dropping her to the forest below.

Possibly plummeting to her death, Kagome could do nothing to stop this.

***

"What's that?" Miroku asked of his friend, pointing to some point in the sky.Inu Yasha looked up from his feet, and gasped in alarm. He started running. Miroku shouted after him.

"What's wrong?!"

"That's Kagome, you baka! What are you waiting for, an invitation?"

***

Like all cats, Kagome landed on her feet. But since she had only two, the weight was not evenly distributed enough not to cause damage. Feeling as well as hearing the audible cracks, she fell down to her side on the ground. Wincing in pain, she tried to rise, but lost enthusiasm for the project almost before she started. Groaning, she just lay there in agony as her demon blood burned along her veins in an effort to heal what was wrong.

Her mind chanted out what she had to do, to set the fractured bones, but she could not make herself do it. Looking around her, she noticed the pack as well as the pouch had divulged their mushrooms, leaving them mixed. Quickly, her hazy mind tried to tell her about why this was a problem, but the Kagome who cared had gone on vacation. This is where the worried pair found her, lying unconscious on the ground, mushrooms spread about her, helter-skelter.

* * *

  
Home   
Part Two   
Part Four 

* * *


	4. Chappie 4

Fanfic 

Part Four

* * *

"Kagome!" Inu Yasha rushed to her side, but stopped at actually touching her, noting the strange angle her legs were at. "Miroku, I think her legs are broken."

"I can see that. Perhaps you would move and let me tend her?" Inu Yasha stepped aside quickly, as the priest bent over her.

"Ouch, that certainly is a nasty break! Why don't you gather some wood we can use as a splint?" Inu Yasha nodded and slipped into the forest. Miroku then set about to setting the bones. Trained, but not exactly experienced, he perhaps pressed the bones together too quickly, and he winced as he heard the cracks as they were snapped into place. One leg done, he moved on to the next. It cracked rather loudly as well, and he was glad that Kagome was unconscious.

A clawed hand grabbed his collar, and pulled him down. Face-to-face, Miroku's eyes widened at the reddened ones of Kagome.

"What do you think your doing, human?" She hissed. Miroku stuttered, aware suddenly, that this wasn't Kagome. Apparently the demon lost patience, for she threw him away and sat up. 

Scrambling up quickly and wielding his staff, he demanded, "What have you done to Lady Kagome? Let her go, now!" He pulled a ward from his robes, and chanting, threw it at the demon possessing Kagome. Nothing happened. Kagome's once golden green eyes were still red.

"I'm not possessed, you fool!" Miraculously standing up, she slowly walked towards him, claws at the ready. "I AM Kagome, though right now, I couldn't care less what my name was. Where's the danger?!" Miroku lowered his staff in confusion. 

"Danger?" 

"Yes, yes, danger. Demons bent on destroying me. Otherwise why else would I be here?" The Demon Kagome suddenly smiled slyly. "What season is it?"

Confused by the question from such a source, he was at a loss for words."Ummm… It's late spring." He finally said.

Coming closer, she chuckled, red eyes glowing brightly at him. Miroku cringed away, not liking the look in her eyes. Looking him up and down, she shook her head. Smelling him, Demon Kagome frowned.

"You travel with her? Yes, yes you do." The demoness shook her head again. "You wouldn't be my choice but, of course, the last one wasn't that appetizing to me either." The demons face changed and a look of confusion passed over it. 

"She doesn't feel for you the same she did for the other. Perhaps she means to leave me unsatisfied as before?" Anger flashed, and Miroku backed away slowly, not wanting to bring notice to himself. However, the anger was not aimed at him, for she did not attack, but at some internal memory that she held.

A rustling in the woods brought the demoness to his side. Her tail wrapped around him, apparently haven grown since that morning. The demoness's tail gave him a tight squeeze in warning.

"Don't make a sound." She hissed in his ear.

***

Inu Yasha made his way back to the area of the fall, suitable pieces of splint wood in hand. He stopped suddenly when he saw that nobody was there._'Where are they? The pack is still there with all those mushrooms…'_. Stooping down, he gathered all of them and put them in his pack._'Guess she likes mushrooms a lot.'_ Standing up, he looked around, wondering, yet again, where his traveling companions had gone.

"Hello? Miroku! Kagome! Where are you?!" He shouted out, waiting for a reply or noise that would alert him to their presence. His answer came to him in the next instant, in a form he wouldn't have believed.

***

'Oooo, much better than this one here.' Demon Kagome took in his scent and grinned, licking her lips. 'Definitely much better, he's even got— Her thoughts were cut off when an elbow hit her in the stomach. Air knocked out of her, her tail lightened it hold on it's captive. Released, Miroku rushed forward, waving his staff around and completely startling Inu Yasha.

"Run! Kagome is— Miroku was tackled from behind, ending his outburst.

Inu Yasha's eyes widened as he saw that the tackler was Kagome. But looking at her, he sensed that something was not quite right. The truth blared at him when he noticed the blood red eyes boring into him intensely. They were hungrily taking him in, as she walked over Miroku. Giving slight pressure as she stepped on Miroku's head, she grinded his face into the ground.

Demon Kagome bared her fangs; delighting slightly from the fear of the one she had smooshed into the ground. Her eyes took in the newcomer._'Inu Yasha.'_ The other provided the name. Stopping but a few feet from him she passed her tongue over her fangs. Inu Yasha just stared, transfixed by the change in her. She even held herself differently! What was she going to do? Eat him?

"Yes. Muucch better than the last one. At least you have some blood in you, though not much. You'll do when the time comes, anyway." Inu Yasha, realizing his position, unsheathed his sword. Demon Kagome's eyes widened.

"You would dare to attack me?!" Enraged, the demoness surged forward, claws unsheathed. Inu Yasha blocked with the sword, just in time. It tingled in his hands from the force of the attack. Pressing him back, using the sword as leverage, she eventually pinned him to a tree. "I am tired of all that she chooses trying to kill me. I will succeed better with your death than I did in the last one, though."

One hand flung the sword away as the other wrapped tightly around his neck. The air was slowly squeezed out of him and blackness soon impeded his view of the once beautiful face twisted with a feral glee, as she came very close to ending his life.

Almost gone, he saw a look of pained surprise pass her face, before her eyes rolled up in the back of her head. Collapsing, the hold on him was released, and he gasped out for breath, his friend and savior, Miroku, holding him up.

***

Finally standing on his own two feet, he rubbed his sore neck, sure there would be new bruises to join the old ones fading from his last encounter with a youkai. Waving his hand at the inert form, he asked Miroku a question.

"What did you do?"

"Well, my wards did nothing, and seeing as you were in quite a bit of trouble, I decided to revert to a less magical, but useful way of getting the demoness gone and not killing Kagome in the process. I simply whapped her in the head, quite hard, with my handy-dandy noteb— err, I mean staff." (a.n. Sorry just had to add that. Don't know what came over me.)

Both looked down at the hanyou, minds full of questions.

"What do we do with her? We can't just leave her here!" Miroku looked at his friend, surprised. "What?"

"I never would have thought I would hear those words from someone that had just been attacked by a demon."

"Feh! I'll go get my sword and you can do something useful. You know, like seal the demon or exorcise it or something." Miroku shook his head.

"I could do that, but I feel we would need the help of a miko with this."

"Well, we don't have one so we'll have to stop at the next village. Gods, what a day this has been!" Inu Yasha left to get his sword, leaving Miroku to stand guard over the hanyou.

Coming back, they both tensed as the hanyou groaned, reviving. They wielded their weapons, waiting for it to perhaps attack again. 

***

Kagome groaned. 'Gods, I have to stop waking up like this. What happened and why am I eating dirt?' Rolling over to her back, she pulled away the way the shield of hair between her and the world. What she saw, the wanderer and the priest seemingly about to attack her, just made her want to go back into unconsciousness.

The pair backed up as she got to her feet, wobbling on the newly healed bones.Putting her hand to her head, the headache pounded. She now knew to associate it with going into full demon mode. Wincing, she straitened, and felt the back of her head. She looked suspiciously at the staff, knowing it must be the culprit.

Only knowing that she had transformed, she had no other memories, she grinned sheepishly at her friends. 'Wonder what I did that made them so tense?'

"Guess I have a lot to explain, huh?" Relieved, the pair put away their weapons, in Miroku's case, just not holding it above his head. Gladdened, Miroku laughed.

"Yes, there is, indeed, a lot to say."

"Yeah, especially about little secrets that could potentially kill us. When exactly were you going to tell us, when we were lying dead at your feet?" Inu Yasha said angrily.

The others looked over at him. Arms crossed and held tightly to his chest, he looked the spitting image of a sulking little boy.

"Hey! We've only just met! And when exactly did I have the time to explain about my blood transformations, huh? While I was swarmed by youkai squirrels? Or maybe while I was being flown away to be eaten by little baby birdies? Hmmm?! Tell me when!!"

Miroku, however, latched on to her earlier words.

"Transformations? As in, more than one?" Face whitening, he briefly considered just leaving right then, but gave it up as disloyal.

"Later! I want to know what this guy's attitude problem is and I want to know right now!" Inu Yasha got up in her face.

"You're the one who has an attitude problem! You just almost killed us and all because you didn't tell us about your little secret!"

"You accuse me of having secrets? Why don't you tell the group about your secret, huh? About why you have that very interesting scent?" Inu Yasha just stared.

Kagome snorted. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice? I'd think your friend would know but obviously he has no idea what I'm talking about judging from the look on his face. Hey, what do you think is worse? Secrets between lifelong friends or between almost complete strangers? Answer me that, Mr. Honest!" She demanded, hands on hips.

Silence reigned. Inu Yasha broke it.

"What in the HELL are you babbling about, woman?" Kagome's eyebrows rose, incredulous.

"You can't possibly think I'd fall for that innocent act? It's obvious! You show all the signs." Though she seemed sane, demon transformations aside, they just got more confused.

"What signs exactly do you speak of, Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked.

Kagome gave each a searching look. Turning, she walked away a few paces, seeming to have forgotten that they were there.

"They really don't know. Why wouldn't he know?" Talking to herself did not improve their visions of her sanity.

"Out with it, woman!! If it concerns me then I want to know!" Inu Yasha said, frustration finding an outlet.

Kagome faced them, eyes vague, for she was thinking of other things. The frustrated question finally sank into her mind and she answered.

"Why, you're a—

"AREWARK!!"

Kagome's startled eyes went to the sky. Reacting quickly, she threw herself and her friends away from the target area. Falling atop Miroku, her clumsy legs were caught up in his voluminous robes. She felt a hand start reaching for her…

***

Miroku gulped, staying his hand, as he felt one claw pressed against his jugular and a pair of eyes drill into him.

"Ummm… Yes. Yes, I remember those. The memory is coming back to me. It's all clear." He coughed a little causing the claw to nick him. "Gomen! Didn't mean anything! Really!"

"I should—

She was cut off, and again was taken for a flight. Her friends were accompanying her this time though. She couldn't escape like last time, leaving her friends behind. The end of the ride would come soon, being closer to the nest. Looking back at her friends, suffering from the claws pinching their flesh with their own youkai flyers, she wondered.

_'How am I going to get out of this one?'_

* * *

* * *

Sango caught her boomerang, latching it back onto her back. Her senses didn't pick up any creepy vibes so she decided that the Hanyou had really left.

"Damn, damn, damn." She knew what she had to do and she didn't like it one bit. Her honor code would not allow her to leave her job unfinished. The memory of their fist meeting flashed before her eyes but she shook it away.

The Hanyou had killed again, making all suspicions of her character self-evident. Sango went to the tree the creature had leapt from and started following the trail. It was hard to keep track of it, and, of course, she was slowed by the fact that she had to search and walk. It appeared to be erratic but it followed in a definite line from scarred tree to scarred tree.

At one point she came across a camp, a couple of hours old. She saw no sign of a struggle and shrugged the occurrence out of her mind. Just some travelers who hadn't been troubled by the Hanyou, apparently. Continuing, it wasn't long before all sign of the hanyou's travel ended.

'What? She can't have just disappeared.' All evidence was to the contrary, leaving her to scratch her head in confusion. Eyes roaming over the area, her eyes caught something, at once strange, but normal.

Stooping, she lifted it right before her eyes. A black feather, an enormous one, about the length of her arm. The size told all, and she smiled grimly.

"So… Got eaten by a youkai yourself, huh?" Standing, she dropped the feather and watched as it swayed back and forth, finally reaching the ground, making not a sound.

Shivering, she glanced at the sky, only to gasp and start running. What she had seen with her keen hunters eyesight had been youkai, bodies dangling from their claws. She knew even from this distance that one was the Hanyou. That didn't get her worried. What got her worried was what had to be two innocent humans also in the company of the youkai.

*******

Jaken grumbled, hanging on for dear life as he followed the trio on the Wind Shrike.He was just a little frog youkai though strong in his own ways. However, he could not fly, therefore necessitating a ride on the shrike.

Jaken felt slightly nauseated as the shrike suddenly did a loop-de-whirl. Once again flying horizontally, he growled down at the pitch-black feathers before his nose. Shrikes weren't meant to be ridden, though they could be, and he had the distinct feeling that it was trying to throw him off to his death. He would survive, of course, but it would be painful and annoying in the extreme.

Jaken craned his head, trying to get a look-see of how far to the destination. He wanted to get off this homicidal bird._'Ahh, they're dropping the bodies now.'_ He signaled the shrike to a hidden landing place, and got another loop-de-loop for his trouble. Ughhh…

***

The bloodied and battered bodies were dropped unceremoniously to the straw covered ground._'Wait. Straw?'_ Inu Yasha rose from his prostrate position quickly. The bloody tears in his shoulders protested the action but he had to see. Looking around, all he saw was the priest, lying face down in… Inu Yasha grinned. His friend would definitely not like what he had landed in.

_'Where's Kagome?'_ Senses clearing, he suddenly became aware of a disturbance just around a boulder. He stood up, and blood rushed to his head. He fell back to his knees._'Oooooo…'_

The next time he rose slowly, but then had the presence of mind to look around for his sword. He spotted it a few feet away. Grasping the pommel, he felt a strange tingling run up his sword, Frowning, he dismissed it as a side effect of the fall. On his way to the disturbance, Inu Yasha took pity on his friend and rolled him off of the pile of bird youkai dung. "Ugh." Inu Yasha passed his hand before his nose. Quickly rounding the corner, he paused, holding the sword unsheathed at his side, and took stock of the scene. There, in the middle of the second nesting area stood Kagome, definitely looking the worse for wear. Her clothing was tattered, hanging in shreds and it didn't take him long to guess why. At that moment, a bird youkai swooped down and side-swiped Kagome, swerving away with a loud,**"Arewark!"** Kagome, slowed by the repeated attacks of the three youkai, could not seem to land a hit with her claws, and her bow was nowhere to be seen. A flash of pink caught his eye, from both a spot around Kagome's neck as well as in the wings of a circling youkai. Shikon Shards! They were pulsing, most likely from the close proximity to each other. _'No wonder she can't keep up with them! They have shards in their wings, making them ten times faster than before.'_ Suddenly, all three youkai, moments before seemingly circling leisurely in the sky, fell upon Kagome, claws at the fore. Inu Yasha felt himself running, legs pumping, as tingles coursed up and down his sword arm, blood beating fast in his veins. "Kagome!!" He shouted out in desperation, seeing he would be too late. A sudden bout of inhuman speed burst forth, leaving his hopeless thoughts in the dust. A spilt second before the attack reached Kagome, he stood before her, sword held above his head in a blocking position. Expecting to be thrown back violently, he was surprised to see the bird youkai veering away from his sword, Tessaiga. Tessaiga! He looked at it in wonder. It had transformed, thickening to a width of his hand. He could see that it had a keener edge, sun glinting wickedly off it. The pommel had even changed, having what seemed to be odd chunks of hair dangling off it._ 'What in the world?!'_

_*Flashback*_

"Inu Yasha, my son, come here.' Inu Yasha, almost twelve, came forward. In awe of his father at all times for his great wisdom, he kept his head bowed. "Yes, Father?" "I have something of importance to give you. Look." A box was opened before Inu Yasha's eyes, and he took in the sight of the fine sword before him. "For me, father?" In puzzlement, he dared to look up at his father. Though his father couldn't possibly be that old, no lines marked his face, his long silver hair gleamed in the sunlight coming in from the window. Also slight of frame, he held the strength of many, leaving ordinary villagers in the dust. Inu Yasha frowned, not wanting to think about the villagers at this auspicious moment. "This, my son, is the Tessaiga. It has been passed down for countless centuries. It is very unique and can only be used by those of our blood." Inu Yasha reached out, and slid his finger across the edge of the blade. He made a little noise before bringing the finger into his mouth, sucking on it. He heard his father chuckle."Yes, very sharp, my young man. I give this to you. Protect it and it shall protect those you love when you need it most. It holds powers that you can only dream of." 

*End Flashback*

Staring at the sword before him, he finally understood what his father had spoken of so long ago. "Glad to see you've finally woken up." A weak voice from behind broke him from his wonderment. "I really don't think I could have lasted much longer." Kagome stumbled to her knees, and Inu Yasha tried to hold her up. Her eyes, hazy from pain and blood loss from the many gashes she had received, looked down at the transformed Tessaiga held in his hand.

"That sword is powerful…" She mumbled, and he barely caught it. She seemed to shake herself mentally, and her voice became slightly stronger. "The youkai… They hold four of the shikon shards. I can't seem to find my bow." Her feverish face lifted up to his. "Could you help me find it?" Explicit trust filled her every feature and he melted. 

"Yes. I'll help." Inu Yasha replied gently. They searched for it quickly, not knowing when the bird youkai would return. Finding it not far away, they then had to worry about an arrow. However, that turned out not to be such a problem as they were scattered about helter-skelter.

The Tessaiga had returned back to it's old self, now that the danger had passed, but Inu Yasha could still feel a strumming within it. Prepared to fight they returned to where Miroku lay, still unconscious it seemed.

Resting against the boulder, Inu Yasha remarked upon it. 

"Well, he's out for the night I guess. It's strange, though." 

"How so?" Kagome asked, looking up from the sight of her slowly healing gashes. They ran almost bone deep.

"Well… We don't seem to be as effected by that fall as we should be. Well," he amended, "you are half demon, so that explains you. But what about me?" Kagome sighed, head drooping from exhaustion. She hurt and she was so tired… Kagome was suddenly shaken awake and she protested weakly. "Wha—

"Don't go to sleep, Kagome! Even though I'm not trained, even I can see you're going into shock!" Inu Yasha took her hands in his and started rubbing them. They were too cold for his liking and he just now noticed that her lips held a bluish tint.

"Stay with me, Kagome!" Inu Yasha pleaded. His quiet words seemed to hold no effect. He suddenly got an idea. Practically throwing her hands back at her, he stood up. Kagome's eyes tried to follow the movements, but it was becoming hard for her to keep her eyelids up. Blinking, they seemed to stick shut. She was sooo tired…

"Weakling! I knew I should have just let you leave and take up the quest myself." Kagome's eyes bolted open and she managed to find enough energy to lift her head and stare up at him.

"To think, that a mere female, was strong enough to come. What was it I was thinking, I wonder? I must have been crazy to take you along. Obviously you can't hold your own. Look at you." He paused seeming to do just that. "You can't even stay awake, you big baby!" Red tinged Kagome's cheeks and the blue faded from her lips.

Standing, anger buoying her up, Kagome glared at him. Lifting one claw she poked him repeatedly in the chest, forcing him to back up or be impaled upon it. Eventually, he was pressed back against a boulder, and retreating from it was not an option.

Kagome looked about ready to explode. "How dare you! Weakling?! Mere female?! Baby?! Listen here, wanderer, I saved your butt from that bear youkai! I saved you from a swarm of youkai squirrels, for god's sake! My kijo form almost killed you and you*poke* have the audacity *poke* to say that I'm a weakling?" Inu Yasha grinned. "Pah!" She threw her hands up into the air in exasperation, turning away. Inu Yasha mumbled something. 

Kagome spun around. "What was that? Something to add? Hmm?" She asked dangerously.

"I said, 'I can't believe that it worked.'" Realization crossed her features and she was about ready to pounce, when Miroku decided to wake up from la-la land. The pair froze.

"Ughhh… What's happened?! What's— Arghh!!! Disgusting! What did I land in?!"

Hysterical laughter was his answer. Wiping the muck away with his robes, which didn't do anything but smear it further, he wrinkled up his nose in distaste. 

Frowning at them, he said, "There's hardly anything funny about this situation."

That had them rolling in the straw. Wiping a laugh tear from her eye with one clawed finger, Kagome tried to sober up. It was hardly the time to be laughing. They probably had attracted the youkai back. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, that it became a reality.

Kagome rolled, caught up her bow and had an arrow aimed for the closest Youkai's heart, within seconds. Bow taut, it twanged loudly in the still air, and thumped into its chest, glowing slightly. "Arewark!" It cried out in pain, but it flew steadily toward them._ 'Ooookay. Next plan.'_ The shards pulsed, pinpoints of light upon the dark feathers of the youkai._ 'That gives them power! We have to cut it off!'_

"Wanderer! Can you cut off one of their wings?!" She shouted before rolling away, not wanting to get slashed again. Her gashes broke open, sending fresh new waves of pain roiling through her. Gritting her teeth she aimed for the next target. At least she'd slow them down!

******* 

Inu Yasha heard the words and reacted instantly. Placing himself in the way of an incoming youkai, he used the bird's own momentum against it. As it reached him, he stepped sideways and braced himself, the now retransformed Tessaiga before him. The youkai screamed, as it's own weight pushed it though the sword, wing sliced off. It crashed into the rocks behind him and an avalanche began. 

His eyes widened, and he stood frozen at the incoming rocks. For some reason, he choked and he could not move no matter how he wanted to! He closed his eyes and waited for death. But it didn't come. The still air became suddenly violent, whipping his hair around, making them lashes from a whip on his face. Startled, he looked up to see his friend in front of him. Inu Yasha watched as the rocks and boulders were sucked into the Air Rip, the Kazaana, that his friend had been cursed with since birth as his father and his father before him had been.

All the boulders now gone, as well as the struggling youkai, Miroku wrapped his right hand back into the prayer beads that held the Air Rip closed.

"Thanks, Miroku." All the priest did was nod in acceptance. A cry of victory derived from the vicinity of the hanyou, broke them out of their quiet moment. Both men watched as one of the last two youkai, protruding with several arrows, fell to the ground. They cringed at the bone-crunching fall, especially as it embedded the arrows still deeper into the body.

The last, feeling outnumbered as well as out skilled, tried to fly away. However, it did not know that Kagome was so determined, and all it did was present an easier target. It fell crashing into the forest, causing a flock of birds to startle out of their roosts, squawking. The pair were glad that they didn't have to go after it, for it held no shikon shards. Injured, exhausted, and hungry, they regrouped. 

* * *

  
Home   
Part Three   
Part Five 

* * *


	5. Chappie 5

Fanfic 

Part Five

* * *

Kagome lowered her bow and waited for her comrades to come up to her, breathing heavily. They stood in a loose semi-circle just looking at each other.The males suddenly started laughing, relieved, patting each other on the back.

"It certainly is exciting traveling with you, Lady Kagome!"

"I'm glad that that's over!" Inu Yasha said.

"We're not finished." Kagome said quietly. Their laughs stopped abruptly.

"What do you mean?" Inu Yasha asked, after a few moments of silence.

"We have to dig out the shards, as well as deal with the eggs."

"Eggs? What eggs?" Even wounded as she was, Kagome managed to give him the 'Are you stupid?' look.

"Look around you." She growled. "We are in a NEST. A NEST! Now what is usually contained within a nest? Hmm? Any guesses?" Inu Yasha grumbled.

"Eggs." He mumbled.

"Yes, yes there's hope for him yet. If I had any energy I'd applaud. Can we get on with it yet?" Miroku stared at the short-tempered hanyou, and decided she was like this because of her wounds.

Not waiting for them Kagome stalked over to the youkai carcass. Unsheathing one claw she quickly carved out the points of pulsing light, which had increased in brightness as well as speed as she had grown closer. One was in each wing as well as in its forehead.

The shards were giving off an evil aura, Miroku noticed, coming closer. Perhaps from being imbedded in the body of an evil youkai. But Kagome either didn't know or she didn't care for she plucked them from the flesh, without any regard for her safety, before he could warn her. But he was shocked, moments later, when their aura changed from a dark evil one to the pureness of pink yet again. Miroku stared at her in wonder. Who and what exactly was this girl?

Kagome held each in close scrutiny before wiping them off with a swath of green fabric, which had been tied around each boot. Making a tinkling noise, each fell in the bottle about Kagome's neck, joining the others. With the last of the shards taken, the youkai's carcass seemed to melt away. Turning to Inu Yasha, she said.

"You did manage to cut off that wing? Get the shard and I'll be back." Walking off, they were left with little choice in the matter.

The pair made their way over to the wing, slowly. Having neither claws nor daggers to work with, they were left with only Tetsaiga. Inu Yasha tried to slice off the chunk which held the shard, but ending up with something the size of his hand. You had to give him credit, though, as he didn't exactly know where it was, except for a weak pulsing light that came every few minutes.

The chunk now removed, the giant wing dissolved. Inu Yasha stooped down, intending to dig out the shard from the remaining chunk, but Miroku stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Inu Yasha looked up at his friend, confused.

"Don't touch it, my friend. There is an evil aura within it, and I do not think we can come in contact with it without consequences. Let's wait for Kagome."

Standing again, Inu Yasha looked frustrated. "If we can't touch it, why would she be able to?"

"I don't exactly know why, but she seems to have an innate power of purification. It's strange that one with youkai blood has that power." Miroku said, pondering.

They waited in silence and Miroku growing stinkier with every moment until Inu snapped. "Gods! Go wash yourself before I'm forced to gag!"

Miroku took a deep whiff of himself and silently agreed with him. But looking around him, he was at an impasse.

"Uhhh… Inu Yasha?" Holding his nose, Inu turned to him.

"What?"

"How would I go about finding a place to wash… If I can't get down?" 

Inu Yasha opened his mouth but closed it audibly. "Well… I guess that's something I didn't think about." Inu Yasha walked up to the lip of the cliff. It was sheer, leaving one with no way to slide down. The option of scaling up was out, too.

"Miroku? There is absolutely **no way** to get off this thing. How do we get down? Our rides up are dead!"

Miroku stepped up beside him and both continued to stare over the side, perplexed. 

****

Kagome, now out of sight of her companions, fell to her knees. What little energy she had retained from the battle adrenaline rush was completely depleted. Kagome bent forward and she rested her forehead against the ground. She was in no threat of going into shock. The blood lost before was almost replenished. All that would be left soon would be a few barely discernable scars.

However, true exhaustion was setting in and she was afraid she would involuntarily become unconscious within a few moments. _'No. Wake up. You have miles to go before you sleep, Kagome. You're half demon! You are stronger than this!'_ Pep talk now over, she still couldn't seem to move from her resting position.

"No… Must… Can't let… Eggs…" She sighed, on the verge of unconsciousness.

Giving in to the situation, Kagome did something she would never do with a clear mind. She voluntarily let her youkai half take over. 

Kagome's head lifted, showing red eyes to any who wished to see. Standing quickly, one would never guess that a couple of minutes before Kagome had been about to fall asleep. 

Youkai Kagome looked around, wondering at the sudden change in scenery and wondering where her earlier playmates from before had gone. She scented the air; nose twitching as she caught said playmates' scents and also some others. The demon set about the immediate problem, certain little eggs on the verge of hatching. That, of course, explained why the youkai adults had been hunting.Besides, those other scents didn't' seem to be going anywhere. Demon Kagome set about destroying the eggs, rather gleefully, leaving but a slimy mass of dead baby youkai. Red eyes gleaming, youkai Kagome seemed almost proud of her work.

Now, on to those interesting smells she had found earlier…

*****

Jaken, now hidden in the mess that the avalanche had caused, cackled gleefully at their seemingly insurmountable problem. Looking at the pair of humans, he could see their slow little minds working and winding around this obstacle. It was like watching field mice. Oh, how he'd like to do to them, as he had done to the now roasted field mice.

"Ooooo… Yesss… Roast them like— Somebody tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "What do you want?" He asked, too caught up in his visions of merry little fires burning Inu Yasha and Miroku alive.

A hissing in his ear brought Jaken abruptly awake to his surroundings. Turning slowly, he could see that it was the female hanyou who had sniffed him out. He glared around her at the Wind shrike, knowing in his dark little heart that it had not uttered an alarm in the hopes that he would be killed.

"Seems like it doesn't like you very much. Perhaps it needs a new rider?"

Jaken's eyes widened in alarm. "No, that it impossible! My lord assigned it to me especially for this mission!" He clapped his hands over his mouth, but too late.

Kagome leaned in threateningly. "And exactly who is this… Lord? Tell me or I'll rip you apart with my, quite sharp, claws." She unsheathed them before him, pressing one against his green leathery cheek. A droplet of blood welled up.

Jaken gulped and frowned up at her. Suddenly, he whapped her upside the head with his short staff, and attempted escape. What he realized too late was that he was pretty close to the edge of the cliff. Looking back at the pursuer, he dropped off the cliff with very little noise except that of his bouncing body on the few boulders that stuck out from the cliff face.

Kagome went to the edge and looked over, soon joined by Inu Yasha and Miroku, who were drawn by the noise of the encounter. But the trees obscured any view she may have had of the small green frog youkai. 

Kagome turned to the pair standing behind her, her bangs covering her face. Miroku took his eyes away from the trees below, and inhaled sharply as he noticed the gore that seemed to cover Kagome's arms and legs.

"Well, now that that has taken care of itself, let's get off." She stalked over to the wind shrike and stared deeply into its red beady eyes. It seemed to Miroku that the pair made some sort of agreement because the hanyou nodded.

"Get on. Now." Miroku took stock of the Wind Shrike, and it stared right back at him.

"Are you sure we should— 

Kagome bared her fangs at him and he saw that she had changed form again by her red eyes. This didn't make him at all more assured. About to take his chances by refusing, he felt his friend push him towards the bird from behind. He gave him a glare.

"Just do it." Inu whispered fiercely. Inu stalked ahead of Miroku, grabbed the pack nearby, and, only hesitating a moment, threw himself up on it. Miroku shrugged his shoulders and did the same, taking a tighter hold on his staff.

Kagome gave one more look to the bird, before getting astride it. "Hang on." She said firmly. However, the guys did not take it to heart quick enough, and would have slid off if Kagome hadn't been such a good anchor.

The ride down was a blur, making all slightly dizzy. At such high speeds, they reached the ground rather quickly, coming to an abrupt stop on the ground. 

Miroku slid off the rest of the way, Inu Yasha not far behind him. But Kagome stayed on.

"Come on, Kagome." Miroku said, turning with Inu Yasha to walk towards a stream for a much needed bath. However, a thump from behind had them quickly turning and rushing to Kagome's form, slumped at the clawed feet of the Wind Shrike.

Inu Yasha lifted her and carried her away, while Miroku blocked the bird, just in case it decided to attack. It glared at him with one red eye before squawking once, and fluttering, flew to a branch nearby. It settled down to roost, being as it was a nocturnal bird.

Miroku hurried to where Inu Yasha had gone. He found them not far from where water gushed forth from the mountain and gathered in a pool before going on into a stream. Inu Yasha had gotten one of those swaths of green fabric and dipped it into the water to rinse the gore away. 

Wringing it out, Inu Yasha came back to her and started wiping at any skin that showed. It didn't help much, and they all had some on them. It had gotten on their sleeves from when they had grabbed a hold of her and Inu Yasha had it all across his chest from when he had carried her. Add to that the previous muck on Miroku, you had a smell that stank to high heaven. Miroku started towards the pool.

"You stay with her and start the evening meal." For it was evening, the traveling, flying, and fighting taking up all of the day.

"Hey—

But Miroku had disappeared from sight on the far side of the pool. Inu Yasha snorted in disgust at Miroku's selfishness as well as his own rankness. Who wanted to cook and eat when one smelt like this?

Inu Yasha made Kagome as comfortable as possible, before he set about making the meal. The nearest food was in the pack. Flipping it open, his mouth opened in shock. The rice, the dried meat, it was all gone! All there were was mushrooms! 

Inu's nose wrinkled up in distaste. He disliked mushrooms intensely.

_'Oh well, at least Kagome likes them.'_

He set up the cooking area, pulled out some spices and set to work, slicing the mushrooms. It was weird though. There were two kinds of mushrooms. Shiitake and something else. He knew what poisonous mushrooms looked like and since the other kind wasn't in that category, he assumed they were edible. 

Miroku joined him ten minutes later. "Watch the food. It will be done in a few minutes. Try to get Kagome to eat and drink some." Inu Yasha then went off to scrub his nasty clothes and remove a layer of dirt.

Miroku took the meal off the fire and placed it to cool nearby. He made a shish kabob on a stick, and bit off some while making his way over to Kagome. Taking bits off one at a time he fed it to her. Even in her unconsciousness, she ate it eagerly. 

Next, he picked a large leaf and filled it with water. Carefully, he let it pour into her mouth and she gulped it down. That done, Kagome sighed before seeming to go into a deeper sleep.

Inu Yasha came back and they finished off the rest of the mushrooms quickly before settling down to sleep upwind of Kagome. But a short while later, Inu felt a bit dizzy. Suddenly feeling thirsty as well, he made his way over to the pool. Dipping his hand in the water, he lifted it to take a drink. Droplets fell, hitting the surface and causing ripples. 

His eyes were drawn to them as he watched them turn different colors, before changing into fireflies. _'What the hell?'_ They flew over his head and he looked up, where he was caught by the antics of the stars above. His eyes widened in wonder. The constellations were playing games with each other!

******

If there had been any onlookers from that point, one would see Inu Yasha crouched down near the water, staring up into the sky, a dazed look on his face.

One would than be confused as the strange man then jumped up and turning in circles, laughed hysterically, before falling backwards, knocking his head into a rock. 

Smiling still, Inu Yasha reached up his arms, attention then caught by his hands. He stayed that way, staring at his hands and contemplating God knows what, for hours, a crazy giggle escaping him every few minutes. 

******

Miroku's eyes felt dry and he tried shutting them up tightly. He also felt odd. Standing, he lost his balance and stumbled into the woods. Tripping, he started to fall. But something was strange. Right before hitting the leaf-strewn ground of the forest, he just… stopped. His nose almost touched the roots of a nearby tree, but he did not actually hit the ground.

He watched the occupants of this tree, squirrels, real ones, for a time in confusion before he suddenly realized something. He understood their language! He chattered at them, and they responded by coming over.

Hand in hand, the pair of squirrels greeted him in a squeaky voice. 

"Welcome to our home, the forest of High Times! We urge you to join us, for there is a festival today! Come, let us dress for this joyous occasion!" Smiling, Miroku sat up slowly, picked up the squirrels and followed their directions in preparations.

******

Once again, if there had been an onlooker, one would watch as Miroku stood up from his bedding, and stumbled into the forest. Tripping, you would see him fall flat on his face, slamming his head into a tree. Miraculously, minutes later, you would see him turn his head and stare in one direction for a few moments. 

For some unknown reason, the strange man smiled, sat up, picked up two rocks, and stumbled off further into the forest, making one wonder about his luck in finding his way back. 

* * *

Smells came before she was fully conscious. Wood smoke, a night-old whiff of cooked food, human sweat, all came in at once. Then sounds. Water rushing nearby and the breeze rustling through the trees, which came slowly to a standstill a few moments later. Then she heard what the rustling had been hiding.

Kagome's eyes snapped open, and she sat up quickly. Her hand felt around slowly on the ground for her bow and quiver of arrows, trying to act normally, she almost cursed out loud when she found that she did not have it. 

A whirring reached her ears a split second before she rolled away, a familiar bone boomerang crashing into the spot she had just left. 'Is she ever going to quit trying to kill me?' Sango ran to her weapon and again readied it for a throw. "Quit dodging and let me slay you!" Kagome stared at her from her position on the ground.

"Oh yeah, I'm really gonna just let you— Eeep!" She threw herself backwards, clipping a tree. She was spun around by the force of her own throw, and ended up on her hands and knees. 'Not a good place to be, Kagome!'

Not waiting for the next throw, she rolled to the side, stood up, and started running towards the woods. 'Need to get out of the open! Where is everybody?!'

Nearing a pool of water, she turned her head to see if her pursuer was close, and ended up tripping. Landing on something soft, she looked up.

"Inu Yasha! What are you doing still sleeping?!" A crashing sound signaled another attack, and she looked behind her. Her eyes widened.

'Shit! That thing can cut through trees?!' She pressed herself down as it flew over head, turned around and crashed through a few more trees before returning back to it's owner.

"Stand up and fight, you youkai bitch! I won't forgive all the deaths you've caused."

Kagome grabbed Inu Yasha's kimono collar and shook him rather violently.

"Wake up, you stupid useless idiot!" His eyes opened slowly and his hands grabbed at hers on his collar.

"Wha…?" He stared into her slightly panicked angry face confusedly. She was about to say something, but her face turned away from him and she hissed. Inu turned his own in that direction and his mind absorbed what he saw slowly.

Some woman was standing not twenty feet away holding a rather large boomerang of bone. 'Youkai Exterminator.' The phrase came to his mind once he noticed her outfit. Tight fitting, black, poison gas mask. She raised her weapon above her and his eyes widened in panic and surprise. 'She's attacking us? Will we ever get any rest?'

Still drowsy, he wrapped his arms around Kagome, perhaps to offer some form of cover.

"Idiot! We can't stay here!" Grabbing him, she pulled both of them away, right before the boomerang crashed into the ground, causing debris to fly everywhere.

Inu stared at the destruction. 'So much from such a small person.' "Get off before I throw you off!" He heard growled from below him. This made him aware of the fact that he was on top of Kagome. Hurriedly, he pushed away from her, but he ended up elbowing her in the stomach.

"Ooof! Could you be any more clumsy?! And you!" She said, standing up and facing their attacker. "I haven't killed anybody recent enough for you to care!"

Sango glared at her suspiciously, but refrained from throwing the boomerang again. "That pack—

Kagome looked exasperated. "Like I told you before, I was getting it for a friend. This friend that you see behind me, in fact." Sango looked surprised and glanced around her.

"But he's human! He isn't your victim?!" Inu Yasha took a few steps forward, his hands out at his sides, indicating he hadn't a weapon. His hand itched to have his sword within it, however.

"Of course, I'm not her victim! I've been her traveling companion for about three very long and interesting days now." Sango looked confused.

"But…" 

"Look, obviously you've been taken in by the villagers talk of me. But really, I don't kill humans." A gleam appeared in Kagome's eye. "Besides, it's more fun to destroy other youkai."

Inu Yasha came closer to the exterminator. "Come on, let's head back to camp and talk further of this. We'll bring you up to date on this and maybe you'll stop trying to kill Kagome."

An hour later Kagome finished the story of their current adventure. "You say you have another companion? Where is he?" Kagome put one finger to her lip and looked up in thought.

"I don't know."

******

From afar some one would see a man standing up, wearing flowers in his hair, flowers in a necklace around his neck, and a skirt of leaves around his waist. And that was all. You would watch as this extremely confused person looked about, not recognizing his surroundings. Then, looking down, you would hear him scream. 

"Where the hell are my clothes!! Inu Yasha!! Kagome!!" And not getting a response, we see him try to gain his bearings.

"Where am I?!"

******

"What do you think, Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked, turning to him.

"Well, all I remember is eating, then getting some sleep. I faintly recall getting up to get a drink, but I'm pretty sure Miroku was still here."

"What did you eat?"

"Some of those mushrooms you gathered. I didn't like them very much. Tasted weird even for… What is it, Kagome?" Her eyes had widened and she had gotten up and started riffling through the pack. Turning, she stared at him.

"You ate… All the mushrooms? Both kinds?" Seeing his nod, she started laughing, pointing at him then at the pack but not able to say anything.

Inu frowned and Sango watched as the silly youkai kept pointing back and forth.

"You ate musorukki mushrooms!" She finally managed to choke out. Inu turned to Sango, only to find that she had started to laugh herself.

"Okay, what's so funny?" Inu demanded. Kagome was still laughing so Sango took it upon herself to answer.

"Those were medicinal. When consumed in large quantities, it has hallucinogenic qualities."

"Hallucino—?" They heard the snapping of twigs and they all stared into the woods where the sound was originating from, hands on their weapons. However, they were not prepared to see a half naked Miroku to appear. 

"You can't believe how hard it was for me to find you! You now how many clearings next to pools of water there are?! If it wasn't for that maniacal laughter I may not have located you!"

"HE'S your other traveling companion?" All turned to her look of annoyed disgust. Miroku seemed to finally take notice of her. He smiled charmingly.

"Ahh… The young lady from the market. How are you?" Sango crossed her arms and looked away.

"Just fine until now." Miroku's smile didn't disappear, but it's charm dissipated.

Nodding, he turned back to his comrades.

"Okay. Now, I would like to know why I woke up in the middle of nowhere WITH no clothes to speak of upon me? Does anybody have an idea?" Miroku looked between them, questioning expression evident.

"We ate some weird mushrooms that made us see stuff. Then I wake up, and Sango here, who thinks I'm Kagome's victim, is attacking us. You seem to have gone on some disturbed trip through the woods and seem to have the same amount of memory as I have." He had a sour look on his face. "We're all alive and I'd like to move on before something ELSE attacks us, don't you agree?" 

All stood up. 

"Will the Lady Sango be joining us?" Miroku asked, looking back at her.

"Why do you keep calling all the girls you meet 'Lady', Miroku?" Inu asked, as he strapped his sword at his side.

"It's probably to flatter possible mothers-to-be. Right, Miroku?" Kagome looked at him, one eyebrow raised. Miroku laughed, one hand behind his head, looking slightly like he was caught with feathers in his mouth.

"I'd like to think of it as giving respect to the fairer sex." He replied.

"Yeah. Riiiiight. I totally believe you, 100%" Kagome responded back.

"So," Inu turned to Sango, "are you coming or not?" Sango seemed to thing about it.

"Very well, I guess I shall. It seems like you guy's get in a lot of trouble and I need to pay back Kagome for trying to kill her several times." She said.

"Alright, now that that's settled, let's head out." Inu stated.

"Wait!!" All turned to Kagome.

"Can I take a bath first?" Inu groaned in annoyance.

******

As the week went on, Kagome became more and more distant, scouting ahead most of the time. Since the remaining three did not know her that well, they did not think much of this. Inu Yasha, however, was becoming oddly silent and grouchy when approached, even for him. Miroku would have discussed it with him, but at the end of the day he had little energy for conversation. Everyday, they were attacked by one or more youkai, all with shards. They seemed to be attracted by the few they originally had. After four days that number had been increased to 12.

Fortunately, with the inclusion of Sango, and Inu Yasha's growing skill with his gifted sword, they were but a time consuming annoyance. Unfortunately, they were making little distance towards whatever their destination was and there were injuries to contend with, minor, but still there. 

Roles had been assigned. Kagome caught thefood. Sango had no cooking skills to speak of, so she gathered herbs, greens and firewood. After the previous encounter with cooking, Inu Yasha decided NOT to be the cook in favor for setting up camp, leaving Miroku to prepare the meal. It was everyone's responsibility to take down camp.

All this went through Miroku's mind as he prepared the morning meal. A shifting in the trees told him that Kagome was coming back from wherever it was that she went. And for once, he wasn't too exhausted to be curious.

"Lady Kagome. I'd like to speak with you about some things." He said, not looking up from the food. She paused at the edge of the woods, seeming to ponder something.

"Okay." She sat criss-cross near the fire, tail waving in the air idly. It had grown a few inches every day, but today it looked the same length as the day previous, reaching slightly above her head when held up.

"It appears to me that you are avoiding us by your frequent outings. Would it be too much of an intrusion, Lady Kagome, if I asked the reason why?" At that point, he turned and sat before her in the same position. Taking one look at her, he decided that she looked quite haggard. 

"Are you well, Lady Kagome? I thought that you would have recovered from yesterday's run-in by now." 

The day before a mole demon had left from the ground and almost ripped her arm off. It had left her arm broken in three places along with a dislocated shoulder, leaving her with nothing but one clawed hand for defense. Thankfully, she had used it to her advantage, relying on her strength to jam her claws deep into its blind but very sensitive eyes. 

The rest of the group took care of the mangled demon and Kagome plucked the shard from its paw, purifying it with her touch. Re-setting the arm was stressful for all involved. Kagome had been especially annoyed at their lack of travel distance made that day.

Kagome sighed. "`No, I'm fine Miroku. I'm just dealing with certain things right now and it's making me a bit tired." Miroku nodded. They just sat there, birds twittering in the trees.

"Where are they?" She asked.

"Sango to get fresh water for the day, Inu Yasha… Well, he went for a walk, I think. He seems to be doing that more often then not." Again, silence.

"Perhaps you would feel better if you shared your burden." He put her hand on her knee, so close to his. She hissed and he took it quickly away.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's all you want to share, you hentai." Miroku held up his hands.

"My intentions were pure, I assure you." Kagome groaned.

"I'm sorry, Miroku. I don't know why I'm acting like this." She looked down at her lap. "No. No, I know exactly why I'm acting like this." She sighed. She stood up.

"I'll be back. Get ready to leave but stay here. I have things to explain and now is as good a time as any." Miroku was left to sit there, looking at nothing.

* * *

  
Home   
Part four 

* * *


End file.
